The Long Way Home
by SolidBlack
Summary: True love never dies. Take a look into the lives of two friends, lovers, and soulmates who find that, sometimes, all you need is love...and several glasses of wine. Follow the tale of two very stubborn people and how they finally find their way back home.
1. Chapter 1

The sun set in a blaze of glory, setting the Western sky aglow. It was unnaturally warm for this time of year, not that BellaDonna minded. The house of the Unified Guilds absorbed warmth the way her heart no longer did; today, as well as many days past, she was thinking on her failed marriage to one, Remy LeBeau. It had been a long time since she'd thought about the rakish man who had stolen her heart as a girl. It was only he that could save them now.

As much as she loathed doing it, BellaDonna swallowed her pride and reached out to the man who was once her very best friend. Her heart pounded as she left a message with a cheery young woman who promised to pass the message right along. Her childhood home was being raided and her friends massacred by those who thought that a woman was unfit to rule the Unified Assassin and Thieves Guild. With the disasters that had decimated New Orleans, she had no choice but to run to him as she always done in the past.

Now, their fate rested solely on him. Was he man enough to help her? Was she woman enough to let him? All that anyone could do now was pray.

Remy LeBeau, also known as Gambit, was just coming back into the mansion for the night. It was early, and he'd promised Logan he'd go to Harry's, but he didn't feel up to drinking and pool tonight. That, of course, got the Canadian's suspicions raised. But Gambit had a reputation to uphold and couldn't very well admit to Wolverine that his thoughts were occupied by a woman he had tried not to think of for years.

As he made his way out of the mansion's atrium and started up the stairs, one of the female students came up behind him. "Mr. LeBeau?" Remy stopped one hand on the rail, and his right foot on a step. He turned to face the cheery girl. She looked like one of the 'in-crowd', her blonde hair pulled into a high pony tail and a huge grin on her face. Most of the girls swooned after him or Scott (although he had to admit, he was far better looking than the tightwad Summers). He took the occasional girl to bed, usually the ones that separated themselves from the rest, the rebels.

Remy smiled at her and came back to stand on the landing just before the stairs. "Wha' can Gambit be doin' for y' t'day?" He ran a hand through his brown hair which was in a state of perpetual unruliness and hung shaggy, almost down to his eyes. His eyes swept over her pretty face, they were another of his features that girls liked; his eyes were like no other man's, they were exotic, completely black with red irises. For some reason, the mutation that had kept him at arm's length as a child made him irresistible in adulthood.

The girl smiled, it looked like she might swoon right there just because he was talking to her. Remy hoped that didn't happen, he hated having to explain to Hank why girls kept fainting at the sight of him. Thankfully, she didn't; instead, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a little note. "A lady called for you," She said sweetly. That peaked Gambit's interest. Calls from ladies were always nice. "She said it was urgent." Remy took the piece of paper from the girl, and thanked her, giving a gentle smile for her good messenger service. The girl blushed profusely and mumbled something sounded like "You're welcome," just before she turned and scampered off.

Remy smiled and started back up the stairs. About halfway up, he opened the folded slip of paper and stopped dead in his tracks. The color drained from his face as he read the name of the mystery woman who had contacted him. After a few minutes, he continued up to his room. He closed the door behind him and sat on the bed, leaving the lights off. He stared at the folded paper in his hands, and then reached into his night stand, withdrawing a small cell phone. What did she want? Why contact him now? Was she ok? Only one way to find out. He quickly dialed the number, and waited for the ring.

One ring, then two...nobody seemed to be picking up downstairs. Belle sighed heavily, swinging herself off the bed. "Dis' is Belle," She said coolly. The crisp white linen pants she wore were slightly wrinkled from the day's use and she had discarded the matching jacket. She was not receiving callers at this point nor had she had any callers worth dressing up for in years; there was no fear in lounging around in her nice pants and tank top. "Can I 'elp y'?"

Remy listened as the phone rang, and sighed. No one was answering? Then why leave the message to contact her? He was about to hang up when the other line picked up. His breath hitched at the sound of her voice. She sounded older, sure, but still the same Belle he remembered from all those years ago. He remained silent for several moments, not knowing what to say. He finally decided on simplicity, "Belle, its Remy."

Panic rose in her throat; it'd been years since she had heard that voice. True, at the time they were married, his voice was still changing. He sounded like a man now, more like Jean Luc than ever before. "Bonjour, Remy," She said softly, "I trust dat de young lady Belle spoke t' gave y' de message den." She had been standing there for days like an idiot scared to death...no, it wasn't true, only a few moments had passed. She was using every ounce of strength she had to sound firm and calm even though her heart was breaking all over again. "How are y', chere?"

Remy, despite his best effort, a smile crept over his features as she lapsed into casual conversation. He felt a twist in his chest, and knew it wasn't the chili he had eaten earlier. He'd tried so hard not to think of the woman on the other end of the line, but somehow, a small flame in his heart had always stayed lit for her. He couldn't ever truly forget her. "Oui, got de message, Belle. Remy be doing jus' fine. How y' doin'?"

It physically ached to be talking to him like this; the phone was such a cold method of communication to her. She could hear his voice but he was hundreds of miles away in New York. She mentally chastised herself for feeling like a giddy schoolgirl while speaking to him. This wasn't the playground anymore; they were both powerful, successful adults...why would he still want his childhood sweetheart?

Swallowing, she sighed, "T'ings are bad here, chere. Dere are people here...dey wan' t' take de Guilds from Belle an' destroy everyt'ing we worked so hard t' achieve." The sorrow was evident in her voice, "Dere's no way dat we can hold dem on our own...we need y' chere." Her words came out in a rush, frantic to finish before he hung up or said no; he had left New Orleans with the intention of never returning. "I wouldn' ask y' if it weren' an emergency, chere. I need y'."

Remy sighed again, and mentally cursed. He'd sworn never to return to New Orleans. He'd meant it, every last word of it. But the sound in her voice, the desperation and the need, it drove a cold spike through his heart. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair again. "Belle, y' know Remy said he'd never go back dere." He had every intention of telling her no, the word was sitting on the tip of his tongue, but it never came out. Instead he found different words flowing all too easily from his heart straight off his tongue. "Tell me w'at happened. Who's dem?"

Praying actually paid off this time, Belle thought. She'd gotten back on her knees for this purpose...maybe the big man upstairs owed her a few favors after all. Although, she had promised him her soul for this little feat, "Dere's a rival guild from somewhere in de South, probably Missisip'." Sighing, she sat back on the bed, "Dey been killin' Assassins an' T'ieves bot' since six mont's ago. Kill one 'bout every few weeks at firs' but dey's out for blood now." It had started out as one murder; then the letters came. They were out for her, gunning for the territory that the Thieves and Assassins had shared since their ancestors came down from Acadia. "Dis' has t' end now before dey start spillin' innocent blood."

Remy's dark eyes narrowed as he listened. He'd turned his back on them all, sure, but that was still his home, his territory. And now some other guild was trying to muscle their way in on it. And worse, they threatened his Belle. He nearly choked, 'his Belle'? It'd been a long time since he'd thought of her as his. But, he supposed, it was true in a way. What they'd had was special, it was magic, and it didn't seem to want to go away even though time and space parted them. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. "Wat' do y' wan' Remy to do, chere?" This was what it all came down to: What did she expect of him?

"I need y' t' come back ta N'Awlins, chere," It was a long shot, but she had to take it. "Help Belle fight dese guys, get dem out of de T'ieves and Assassin's lives." Once again God came into her mind; unfortunately, God was trumped by the memories that Remy and Belle had made together in their youth. Her virginity had been his, her life his, she'd been his since they met; now she was no one's but her own. But she needed him here again, now, and she wasn't above begging either, "I'll be in y' debt, chere." She had never before been in his debt; she avoided owing people favors. Owing favors tended to get people killed; Belle wouldn't take that risk for just anyone. "Anyt'ing y' ask."

Remy moved back onto the bed, and slumped down onto it. If it was for any other reason, he would've told her no, hung up the phone, block the number, and be done with it. But he could hear it in her voice again, the pleading. She was truly afraid, and not just for herself, for everyone in the Guild. As well she should be, she was their leader now, and they were her responsibility. He let his mind wander over the situation, thinking, planning. After another moment of thought he spoke again, "Alrigh', chere. Remy'll talk t' Xavier soon as I hang up de phone. Tell him I got t' go away f' a while. I'll catch de soonest plane I can."

Belle found herself smiling once again, "Dere's a charter flight t' N'Awlins piloted by y' old frien' Genard." Even with age, she was still the pushy bitch she always was, "I'll pick y' up at Terminal B at noon tomorrow. Be dere," She ordered. As much as she wanted and needed him here, she was still his commander and damned if he ever forgot it. Suddenly, her voice softened, "I meant it, chere. Dere's not'ing dat Belle wouldn' do f' y', she sincerely t'ank y for dis. From de bottom on my heart," Her voice was barely above a whisper now, "T'ank y'."

Remy smiled in spite of himself and laughed a little. She'd never change. The minute she had confirmation he was returning, she immediately slipped into bitch mode. It was refreshing, he'd missed it; he'd missed her. "I know, chere, I know. Don' worry 'bout a t'ing. Remy will be dere." He was silent for another moment, and then spoke, "I'll see y', Belle."

With the phone back in its cradle and the connection broken once again, Belle laid back on the bed. She loved him, goddamn it; oh...no wait, she had a pact with God to tone down the blasphemy. This wasn't really happening was it? Had she really pissed away her pride for one more ally on the battlefield? Then again, Remy was far more than just another ally. He was a fierce fighter and loyal to the core; she'd never have to watch her back. He'd watch hers and she'd always had his. Curling into a ball, she shut her eyes. She wouldn't sleep tonight, not with Remy on her mind. Sighing heavily, she stared up at the swirling plaster cast of the ceiling...she was about to become very familiar with it.

The loudspeaker announced several flight times, and departure statuses. Remy ignored it as much as possible; he was already in New Orleans, after all. He didn't need to know a flight status. He sat by the baggage claim in Terminal B, his two duffle bags by his side, waiting for Belle to pick him up. He ran a hand over his black pants, and looked down at the floor, his thoughts drifted back to how he'd gotten here.

As soon as he'd hung up the phone the night before, he left his room and called for Charles Xavier the owner of the mansion, and founder of the X-Men, whom Remy had been working with since…well, since his divorce from Belle five years ago. He'd met the older man in his office and was forced to go through the motions of trying to explain why he was leaving without giving too much away. He didn't think Xavier would be too thrilled that he was leaving them to go save a bunch of thieves and assassins, even if they had helped raise Remy. In the end, the older man agreed to let Remy go for the time being. He'd offered to set him up with a flight but Remy had declined as he already had plans. After that, he packed and went to bed, trying to enjoy the last night of peaceful sleep he'd get for a while.

* * *

The next morning, he'd caught the flight he was told to and unfortunately, was seated next to a very annoying teenage boy who had no respect for those around him. He'd played his death metal and hardcore music through his little tape player, but the volume was turned up so high, he may as well have not bothered with headphones at all. When Remy had asked him, politely, to turn it down, the teen had flipped him off. Remy was not a petty man but…alright, okay, he _was_ a petty man. He opened his pack of peanuts, broke an extremely tiny piece off a peanut, and charged it. Then he flicked it at the music player; the spark caused a small explosion, which looked like nothing more than the player shorting out and blowing a circuit. Remy smiled at the silence and ignored the frustrated teen. The last leg of the flight had been blissfully peaceful compared to the first. Remy was loose and confident as the plane made its final descent.

When he'd arrived at New Orleans, Remy had stopped quickly at one of the airport gift shops and purchased five packs of playing cards. He tucked them into his brown trench coat, and walked to baggage claim where he now found himself waiting for what felt like hours. People moved around him trying to get to their own bags or reuniting with loved ones they hadn't seen in weeks, months, and, in a couple cases—like his and Belle's—years. He wore a pair of color changing contacts, so no one would notice his eyes. They itched, and he hoped Belle would arrive soon, so he could take the damned things out.

As predicted, Belladonna hadn't slept one wink last night. However, she was determined not to let Remy see that his return had caused to lose sleep. The man was cocky enough as it was; she didn't want to give him this leverage as well. The morning had been spent preparing for his arrival; the house had been aired and cleaned top to bottom. In an attempt to get him to make this a simple business trip, she moved out of the room they had shared during their brief marriage. She couldn't bear it if he heckled her for holding onto to dreams that were long dead.

She had chosen to wear her newest business suit to pick him up; it was a light blue color that brought out the deep aquamarine color of her eyes. Her hair, as always, was flawlessly done; not one strand was out of place in the French twist she had accomplished. Genard had told her the flight would be in by noon and so, she left the house at half past eleven. It would put her there a few minutes after twelve, long enough for Remy to stew a bit before she had to see him. If he infuriated her, maybe she would be able to keep her hands to herself.

Today, she took the BMW out. It suited her best of all the cars that the Thieves and Assassins owned. The car was a deep navy blue with crème leather interior, tinted windows, fully loaded; it screamed sophistication and style...much like la BellaDonna herself. Pulling up alongside the terminal, she rolled down the window, "Belle's limo service, git' y' ass in de car." What she didn't want to tell him was that there could be snipers trained on them as they spoke. She wasn't willing to lose him like that; better for him to be alive and royally pissed off than dead and gone. "C'mon, Belle ain' got all day!"

Remy was getting _very_ angry. She had asked him here, asked him to break an oath to never return, and then she had the nerve to be late? Didn't she know he had every right to not even show up? His eyes narrowed a bit, but widened when he saw the BMW pull up. It was a very nice car. He got up and walked to it, admiring it. When the window rolled down, he was ready to engage in small talk with whoever owned this beautiful machine. Belle's voice floated to his ears, and his eyes narrowed again. He walked back to his stuff, and stopped. Why should he hurry up when she was late?

Turning back to the car, Remy plopped down on one of his duffels, and crossed his arms over his chest; a none-too-pleased look played on his face. "Oh, I didn' mean t' make y' wait all day at de airport while I lounged around in de terminal." His voiced dripped with sarcasm. "Oh dat's right, I didn'," He pointed a finger accusingly at the beautiful woman in the car, "Y' made _Remy_wait." He had to keep being upset with her. If he didn't he'd notice how beautiful she was looking today, he wouldn't throw himself at her then and there. He looked around, and took on a lounging attitude. "B'sides, it's a nice day out. I t'ink I'll go ahead and enjoy it a bit." He let a smug smirk spread across his face. "Be a terrible shame t' let dis' beautiful day go t' waste wit'out enjoying it a little. You should try it sometime."

Shit, shit, shit, Remy, this was not the time to get into a pissing contest! They were at war; she was taking a heavy personal risk coming here to get him. For all she knew, the phones were tapped and they standing here in mortal danger. They could both be mincemeat in a matter of minutes. Sighing, she killed the engine and got out of the car. "I almost t'ought I missed y', chere," She snapped, "Den' I forgot w'at a royal pain in de ass y' are." Storming over to the curb, she picked up both duffel bags and threw them across the seat. "Dere!" She threw her arms up. She barely noticed the man lumbering behind her.

Grasping her wrists, the man pushed her back against the car, "Well, fancy meeting you here, darling," He said, his icy voice dripping with venom. "It must be my lucky day." Belle was strong but at nearly six feet seven, two hundred seventy pounds of pure muscle, she didn't stand a chance. His head was shaved and gleaming in the strong Louisiana sun. Leaning down over her, he smiled as she struggled to fight him off, "After I take over this damn guild, I'm gunna show you what it is to be a woman." The laugh that rumbled from his chest held no mirth, "When you ain't pregnant you'll be cleaning my floors with your tongue." He jammed his fingers through her hair. His eyes turned to the other man, "I don't think we've met." He wasn't letting Belle go, but he loosened his grip slightly, "Bruno Gotti, Master of the Destroyers Guild, at your service."

Remy cocked an eyebrow when Bruno made his rather...rough appearance. He watched the display, and for a moment, he thought Belle could handle it. Her body language told him all he needed to know. After all these years, he could still read her like a book. Remy stood from where he was sitting, and the brute of a man turned to introduce himself. "Remy LeBeau. I'd say it's a pleasure, but your breath ruins it for me." He smirked at the man then narrowed his eyes. "You wan'ta be gettin' your hands off de woman?" The look in Remy's eyes said all that needed to be said: hands off, or they'll come off.

That little bit of space was all Belle needed to break free. His strong grip had left black and green bruises against her pale skin and, as Remy said, his breath smelled of stale cigars and cheap liquor. Power welled in her veins as she sent a blast of energy through him, "Get de fuck off!" He went toppling down like a ton of bricks but he wasn't down long. His eyes were ablaze with fury and. for once, it wasn't all directed at her. Her stiletto heels were a pain to drive in, but when she kicked him, the heel struck him across the face; blood welled where she ripped his face open.

Cursing heavily, he made a swipe at her but she was too fast, once again. Standing once more, he growled, "We'll settle this out fair and square, bitch." The warm crimson blood trickled into his mouth and he swallowed almost hungrily. "I'll enjoy making you suffer, forever." Without another word he turned and disappeared from whence he came. It had only just begun.

Remy nearly laughed when the man hit the ground. "Don' say I didn' warn y'. But do y' listen to ol' Remy? Non, 'course not." He then enjoyed the show of Belle soundly showing the bigger man why you could look but not touch.

As Bruno made his getaway, Remy turned back to Belle. He nearly winced when he saw the bruises. On instinct he walked over to her and cupped her face in his hands. He inspected her a bit to make sure she was still fully intact. His voice was soft and quiet, completely different than it had been when they had their spat, "Y' okay, chere?" The worry in his eyes was evident, even though he wore contacts to counteract the black on red; the sentiment also drenched his words. He was staring into her eyes, and had to physically resist the urge to kiss her senseless. Damn this insufferable woman and her charms.

For a moment she thought he would kiss her and in that same moment, she wanted it more than anything ever before. But the error in judgment passed with the appearance of airport security; she was parked in the no parking zone and she had been engaged in a pretty showy fight. It was time to get the hell out of dodge.

Sidling away from him, she felt a blush creeping over her cheeks, "Fine, chere." She said softly, "De man's bark is a lot worse den his bite." He had eyewitness testimony now as to why she needed his help; the man was a bona fide giant. Not only that, he wanted to make BellaDonna his personal whore and was willing to take down an entire community to do it. "C'mon, chere, I don' need a ticket t' made dis' day truly perfect." They could talk on the way home, it was a pretty lengthy drive...and right now, she just wanted to get the hell out of here.

Remy suppressed the hurt as when she pulled away form him. He let his arms slowly drop back to his sides and looked at her for a moment as she spoke. He was watching her, making sure she really was as 'fine' as she said she was. When he was satisfied that she was truly all right, he nodded and motioned to the lovely car. "Lead de way, chere." He had no idea it had gotten this bad. She'd said this rival guild wanted to hurt her, was out to get her and their family but she'd neglected to mention the whole turning her into his personal whore part. That made Remy's blood boil. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, pulling the contacts out, and let them fall to the ground, exposing his black and red eyes once more. He opened the car door and sat down in the passenger seat, waiting for her to get going. He felt bad his little temper tantrum—though justified— had almost cost Belle her life. He'd never let that happen again, that was a promise he would not break.

Driving would make it feel better, it always did. When she drove, she had power over a machine that could be beautiful and a killer all at the same time...much like herself. Swallowing, she slipped into the driver's seat and threw it out of park. For several minutes she said nothing; at this time in the afternoon the roads were less clogged. More people were out walking, biking, and enjoying the nice weather. To the happy pedestrians, there was no danger...if the Destroyers moved in, there might never be a day like this again when the children played stick ball in the street, the elderly played chess in the park and the young lovers picnicked under the shady willow trees. "I'm sorry dat I was short wit' y' when I arrived, chere," She said finally, "I was 'fraid dat somet'ing like dis' would 'appen. Bruno likes Belle more den she likes him an' would love t' settle dis' in de bedroom instead of de battlefield...even t'ough Belle's said 'non' a t'ousand times."

Remy looked over at her, and nodded. "No need t' apologize, chere. Remy be de one who should apologize t' y'." He shook his head, and ran a hand through his hair. "I was pissed at y' f being late and den telling me to hurry up. I forgot you said dat you was in trouble. If I had listened to y', Bruno never would gotten de chance to do that." He reached a hand over and placed it on her hand that was grasping the clutch. He squeezed it reassuringly for a moment as he kept looking at her. "I promise y' dis, Belle, I won' let him get de chance to do that again. Next time I see him, he's gunna get to know jus' who Remy LeBeau is. I guarantee dat."

If Belle were more of a sentimental woman, she would've swooned at the feeling of his hand on hers and his promise to protect her. But she knew Remy LeBeau...probably better than he knew himself. He would've protected any woman that was in trouble and Belle was no exception to that rule. Still, a soft smile played over her face and she looked over at him briefly, "Dat's sweet of y', chere. T'anks for everyt'ing," She meant it with her whole heart.

The countryside rushed by, bringing him past the reconstructed face of New Orleans to the city slums where they had grown up. Even though she had picked him up at noon, the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky, casting a rosy glow over the landscape. Belle abandoned the highway for the back roads they'd spent countless years walking, running, and playing in, on, and around. Maybe it was cruel of her to flaunt this in front of him; then again, a little trip down memory lane never hurt anyone. It wasn't that she wanted him to remember what they had...but, it was nice to take a look at what had happened in the past. Her years with Remy had been the happiest of her life.

Finally, she turned down the avenue where the Assassin—now the Thieves and Assassins—property stood. The house hadn't changed a bit; it was chestnut brown in color, no point in painting a house in New Orleans where the paint was weathered off after one season. Plants grew thick and heavy, spreading their fragrance into the air and giving the area a drugged, sleepy feeling. The black iron fence receded to admit the car before closing back off. The garage was new, the wood still light and fresh; it held four cars and had a space for the gardening equipment. Some things had changed, of course, neighbors had come and gone, loved ones lived and died, but the memories still remained.

Belle turned to him and smiled, "Welcome home, chere."

Remy had sat quietly while she took the detour through the old neighborhood. He didn't want to remember this. There were reasons he left and seeing the old sights brought back memories of those reasons. Still, he couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face as he saw the old men playing chess and the families out for a quiet stroll. Belle didn't have to tell him; he knew that if Bruno and his Destroyers took over, this would all end. The peace would be gone, and chaos would smolder in its wake. Remy wouldn't let that happen, he couldn't.

As they pulled up to the house, he couldn't help the big grin on his face. It hadn't changed a bit. Even in its unkempt state, it was a thing of beauty. It was a classic old New Orleans mansion; it could have walls missing and be half burnt to the ground, and it would still be beautiful to him. He looked back at Belle and his smile faltered. No, this wasn't home. His home was in New York with the X-Men. He had a lot of happy memories here but it hadn't been his home for years…and wouldn't be again.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to vocalize that thought. He could only nod and force a smile. "T'anks, chere, its good t' be back." It wasn't really a lie, really. It truly was good to be back; he could feel the old feelings resurfacing again. It was wonderful but it also painful at the same time. He wondered how the others would take his return. He knew quite a few hadn't been pleased when he left and would likely feel betrayed. As an afterthought, he wondered how many were still alive. He opened the car door and got out, grabbing his bags. "Who's still around?" It was a painful question, but he needed to know. No matter the fact that he left, they had all been his friends, no...his family, at one time.

It was a painful subject to be bringing up so soon. "Well, dere's Genard y' know, Mercy...I think y' remember y' sister in law. And dere's a lot of T'ieves dat are new t' de Guild." The truth of the matter was the natural disasters, a woman leading the guild, constant fighting, and bloodshed had made some of the older members leave. There was a lot of new blood, which greatly helped the inbreeding problem, but didn't do anything to boost Belle's confidence in her brood. "Dey're young, chere but I got de best trainin' dem."

"A'course I remember Genard," He smiled and started for the door, before stopping and turning back to face her. Worry creased his brow. "New blood? None of dem are going to try anything, are dey? I know how de new ones can be, wantin' t' take on de top dog and prove dey're wort'." No one could deny it. When new guys were involved, they wanted to rise through the ranks quickly. And seeing as most of them probably wouldn't know him, they might think to get in good by picking on him. If that happened, they were in for a huge surprise.

Striding past him, she pushed open the back door, "Belle ain' stupid, Remy." She said coolly, "An' I bin' runnin' dis guild for a long time." She tossed her bleach blonde hair that had been mussed by Bruno, although the wispy pieces framing her face somehow suited her. "I gave y' Jean Luc's old room. Mine's across de hall, if y' need me." Quietly, she closed the door behind him, "I'll give y' a chance to settle in an' make some dinner. Welcome home, again," She said softly before disappearing down the hall towards the kitchen. She'd have to feed him, it was the least she could do. Besides, she needed a little time away from Remy...one look at him and her hormones were blazing. She just needed a little time away from him, maybe a little wine, to wind down. And that's just what she intended to do.

Remy sighed as the door closed, and leaned his back against it. He closed his eyes. Damn that woman! One look at her and he wanted to pick her up, throw her on the bed, and show her just how much he'd missed her in about twenty different positions over the course of the next week. He wanted to watch her writhe beneath him; he wanted his name on her lips in the throes of passion again. But he couldn't do that. For all he knew, she'd moved on, gotten a new man, and wanted nothing to do with him other than business.

Sighing, Remy opened his eyes again and looked around the room. It was just like he remembered, Jean Luc's room, the bed, the dresser, the closet. It looked like it was ready for the old occupant to come back at any moment. It made Remy sad, remembering the man. He pushed thoughts of him from his mind before they got any farther than that. He walked over to the bed and tossed his bags down on it. He opened one bag and pulled out the small silver cylinder that was his collapsible bow staff. His fingers ran over his combat suit and he smiled. Time to get down to business.

* * *

**Hello everyone! And welcome to the Long Way home written jointly by me, Marina Black (my other stories are under the username Marina Black1) and my good friend James Brummett. **

**Please read and review! All types of reviews are welcome, don't be afraid to open up :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**I just want to remind everyone that this fic is rated M for a reason!!!! Now, to BJ and ReadySteady, thank you so much for your support! Keep reading and reviewing, we're so glad you're along for the ride :D**

**By the way, if you're interested in seeing the banner that Marina made for this fic, please e-mail solidblackstories (at) yahoo (dot) com and we'll send it to you! **

**To all of our readers, Happy Passover and Happy Easter! Enjoy!**

* * *

The smell of cooking chicken and Cajun spice wafted throughout the house. Among Belle's newest talents was the ability to cook. She'd never really tried when she was younger; she'd never had to try. After the unification of the guilds through the union of Belle and Remy, the untimely death of her beloved brother Julien at Remy's hands and their estrangement, she'd had the time. Oh, did she ever have the time. She'd had five long, painful years to wait before Remy would even show his face again. In that time she'd learned everything Marius ever wanted to teach her about being a wife. The only good that had come of it was the fact that she cooked very well now. 

She had spiced the chicken with scallions, a little bit of garlic, basil and the spicy herbs that made her Cajun heart beat. She'd also heated some roasted potatoes from the other night and made some green beans almandine. It was a delicious, healthy, well-rounded meal. Grabbing the bottle of red wine from the counter and two glasses, she placed them on the tray that she planned to carry up to Remy. He'd probably want to eat in his room, alone, and she'd do the same.

Tackling the stairs had been less of an issue than she thought but when she got to his closed door she sighed. Using her foot, she banged against the door a few times, "Remy, I got some dinner f' y', Belle's 'ands are full." She hoped he hadn't passed out...this tray was starting to get heavy.

Remy had just finished unpacking, and put on a nice button long sleeved black shirt, black slacks, and had tried—and failed—to tame his hair. He left the top two buttons on shirt undone and was just heading to the door, when it sounded like someone was kicking it. His hand instinctively went to his shirt pocket where he had a few cards. He was ready to charge them and blow whoever was kicking in the door to hell, when Belle's voice called out to him. Smiling, he opened the door to see she really did have a tray. "Chere, you didn' have to cook for Remy." The look in his eyes showed he was skeptical of her ability to do so anyway. "I was gonna head down t' the kitchen and whip us both up something to eat." He reached out and took the tray from her. "And wat's wit' de tray, chere? Belle don' want to eat with ol' Remy?" He put on a mock hurt look. He was laying on the charm. He couldn't help it; it was second nature to him, especially in the company of the lovely BellaDonna.

She wouldn't lie, she had intended to drop off the food, take her plate and sit alone at her desk. Maybe she'd even turn on Seinfeld reruns...yes, indeed, her life seemed very sad. But it was never sad when the rakish devil Remy LeBeau was in town. "I'll eat wit' y' if y' wan', chere. I jus' t'ought y' might like some time t' y'self." It had been a big day for the both of them and it had to be emotionally draining for him to come back and have this entire fiasco slam him in the face. Still, she set the tray down on the desk before handing him a plate, "Don' be 'fraid, chere. Belle learned some t'ings while y' were away." He had always been the cook out of the pair of them. But times changed...so did feelings. Grabbing the bottle of wine she poured herself a hearty glass, "Y' wan' some too?"

Remy smiled as she explained the presence of the tray, and started to hand him food. "Belle, I haven' eaten alone since I joined de X-Men. So many people around all de time, and all the students still learnin'. If I ate alone, I'd feel it, and I wouldn' like it. 'Specially if it kept me out of your company." He flashed an award winning Remy smile, and took the food from her. "Chere, I don' doubt you learned t' cook. Remy just be giving y' a hard time. Trut' is, Belle, I kinda miss cookin' f' y'." He kept his eyes down on the food the entire time. He hadn't meant to admit that, it just sort of...happened, and he was a little afraid of what her reaction would be.

This was not happening. Had Belle slipped and hit her head in the kitchen? Was she dying in a fire she had started while trying to cook the chicken? Did Bruno finally get his way? There had to be some sort of explanation for this! Nope, she was conscious and alive, "Remy," She started, sitting down at the desk chair across from the bed; how could she says this without sounding like a completely coldhearted person. Never mind, she couldn't, so she wouldn't try, "Its fine f' us t' sit here eatin' like de ol' friends dat we are...but it was y' who left Belle. Not de other way around." She didn't want to hear about how he missed cooking for her; she ached inside from all the things she missed about him. "I t'ink it's better we forget de past, start over." Even though he hadn't said anything, she handed him a glass of wine; despite the warnings in her head to go slow, she was already well through the first glass. Belle was no lightweight when it came to alcohol, but she knew Remy wouldn't forget the things it made her do.

Remy nodded and started into his food. It was really good and he attempted to tell her so, but all that came out was a jumble of sounds around the food in his mouth. He never was one for table manners and knew Belle wasn't going to expect it. He gladly took the proffered wine and started to drink it. After his first drink, he noticed she was starting her second. This was dangerous territory, alcohol made her do...things. Things Remy certainly didn't mind, but he didn't want her to regret anything come morning. He set down his glass and looked at her. "Belle, Remy t'ink you should probably take it slow on de wine. He don' wan you doing nothing you might regret in de morning." He tried to change the subject quickly, so as to avoid her wrath at being told what to do. "Dis is good, chere. Almost as good as Remy makes." He gave her a teasing smile at that. In truth, it was about as good, if not better, than what he made

Belle knew he was enjoying it; she could tell by the open mouthed smacking and some unintelligible noises. The second glass of wine was going down very well until Remy decided to point out the obvious, "Don' be tellin' Belle wat' t' do, Remy. Y' lost dat right years ago," Just to spite him, she took another large gulp, nearly draining glass number two. Usually she was more careful with drinking, especially around Remy; booze and alcohol had gotten Remy and Belle in some dire straits before. It seemed that this night was going to be no different. When he actually got around to telling her that he liked the food, she smiled, "Dat's good. Dere's more downstairs if y' wan' seconds." Her watery blue eyes were slightly glazed from the drink and from the tiredness that had never been washed away yesterday. It was a bad combination this drinking and being tired. She chewed methodically but nothing seemed to be disappearing from her plate; setting it aside, she sat back in the chair. Wine always made her think about the past, about what never was. "Remy, what do y' t'ink we'd be doin' if we was still married?"

Remy slowly looked up at her. Had she just asked what he thought she'd just asked? This was what he meant about the wine, she was starting to reminisce, and that would lead to other things. He had been trying to avoid that, especially after she started drinking the wine like it was water. He didn't want her regretting anything and being mad at him for taking advantage of her. He sighed and set his now empty plate aside. He purposefully finished off his glass of wine to stall answering the question. When he set it down, he smiled at her. "Well, Remy t'inks we'd have 'bout five or six little ones runnin' 'round. Two dogs, a picket fence..." He trailed off, the teasing smile fading from his lips. He was only kidding, he didn't really know. Why had she asked him that?

Belle nearly choked on her third glass of wine, "Six?" Six kids! What was he thinking? It was definitely time to set the wine aside, she thought, but her anxiety was taking over. Him being in front of her, looking just as delicious as any food she'd ever seen, made her crazy. She wanted to hold him, to touch him again like they used and to reacquaint herself with his body. Then she wondered, with liquid courage flowing in her veins, why was she restraining? The wine had made her feel loose and though she wasn't drunk, she was definitely tipsy enough to feel no shame in standing up and making her way over to him. "I t'ink I'd like some kids someday..." Placing her hand on the side of his face gently, she smiled, "How 'bout y' refresh me on de process?" That was a big 'uh-oh'.

Remy couldn't help but laugh when Belle started at his remark of having six kids. The mirth was quickly dispersed when she got up and started moving toward him. Her body language, the words, the tone of her voice, all sent warning alarms blaring in his head. When he remembered he was sitting on the bed, he started to really worry. He stood up quickly, and looked away form her, "Chere! Dis what Remy be talkin' 'bout." He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back a little. "Trust Remy on dis' one. He would love to refresh y' on de process, but he t'inks Belle had too much wine, and would hate him in de morning f' takin' advantage." His willpower was on its last string. She was exuding sex appeal, and he wanted to take her right there and show her again what a real man was like. His conscience was fighting a losing battle to keep his hands off her, especially after he had felt her soft skin beneath his fingertips.

"Remy, if y' t'ink Belle's drunk den y' dumber den I t'ought," She said, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Three glasses of wine taking down the Matriarch of a mostly male guild? Yeah right, she could hold her liquor. "If y' makin' excuses 'cause y' don' wan' me, den fine." She answered, her hands reaching out and grasping his shoulders, "But don' be playin' superhero t' somebody who don' wan' it."

Remy's eyes flashed with intensity as she spoke. It was an open challenge, at least that's how he saw it. He quickly grabbed her and backed her across the room, pressing her against the wall. His face was inches from hers, their noses almost touching. "Dis wha' you wan', chere?" He almost brushed his lips against hers, and then pulled back. His lips moved near her ear and he spoke softly into it, his voice low, husky, and full of lust. "Remy never stopped lovin' you, Belle. He jus' wan' to make sure you wan' dis', you ain' got another man who gunna try takin' Remy's head off for dis."

Belle felt lust surge through her as he crushed her back against the wall, his body flush against her and their mouths painfully close to kissing. She wanted this and him so badly that it physically ached inside. "Dere's nobody but y', chere...never was an' never will be." She'd been completely faithful to him, even years after the divorce. She knew he took lovers, he was a highly sexual man, but it didn't matter now; all that mattered was that he was hers to be sexual with all night long. Eyes met and she pressed forward, smashing her lips to his. Why wait? Was there going to be some sort of cosmic sign that told them to do this or not? God had done his part by getting Remy here...perhaps this was divine will after all. Her arms came up and tangled in his dark hair, "Dis' is de last time y' ask, chere," she was breathing heavily, "I wan' dis. I wan' y'."

Remy felt a flash of guilt when she said there'd been no one but him. He hadn't been faithful after the divorce. In his mind it was over and done with, even though he still loved her. He'd forced himself to forget for the time being, and that was aided by finding other women. They'd varied, some poor, some good, and some incredible. But, none of them came close to what Belle did to him, how she made him feel. It could be the worst sex of his life with her, but it was the best, because it _meant_ something with her. It wasn't just another meaningless fuck. He smiled into the crushing kiss. God, he missed this. He missed her. Even after all these years, it still felt right, it still felt good, and it still felt perfect. She was a perfect match for him, their bodied molded together like they were made for each other. "As long as y' sure, chere." His hands traveled along her sides, reacquainting themselves with the feel of her body.

BellaDonna trailed kisses from his face down his neck as he fingers worked furiously at the buttons of his shirt. Damn the man and his buttons! She got to a certain point and then gave up, ripping the last few right from their seams. For over five years she'd been celibate, it was high time she got some action. She ran her fingers over his chest, smiling as she felt his sex pressing into the juncture of her thighs. He wanted this as much as she did...and yet, he was still talking. Running her nails over his back lightly, she gave him a short kiss on the mouth, "Remy? Shut up."

Remy smiled as the buttons on his shirt were ripped off. They'd be a pain to sew back on, but it was worth it. A small sacrifice for the chance to be with Belle again. "Oui, Madame." He dove at her mouth again, and ground his hips into hers, letting her know without a doubt just what she did to him. His right hand roamed up her torso, and then to her chest feeling the familiar mounds there. He smiled again, he really missed these too. They were one of his favorite things about her, other than her eyes and her attitude. His left hand dropped to her waist and started to work its way under the hem of her shirt, two could play the shirtless game.

Every particle in her body was screaming from being superheated from the inside out. After she divested him of his shirt, she began working on his pants; for once in his life he was not wearing a belt and she thanked God once again. Usually she had more restraint that this, she could tease and lick and hold him until they were both mindless with passion...but tonight, she was just plain sexed up. The gyrations of his hips made her moan in aggravation; she wanted him inside of her, filling her up and making her whole again. The very thought of that made her work faster. Pushing him toward the bed, she relished in the feeling of cool air on her skin. So what if she paid two hundred bucks for the suit? Making love to Remy LeBeau was far more precious than any suit.

Remy had finally gotten his hand on the bare skin of her stomach, when he remembered she was wearing a suit. He practically ripped the damned thing off of her. Of course by that time, she had him halfway back to the bed. As he backed toward the goal of the evening, he stumbled out of his pants, which she'd managed to get down to his ankles, and then wrapped his arms around her waist. His knees hit the bed, and he fell back, taking her with him. He lay there on the bed, his knees bent and his legs hanging off, with her on top of him. He broke their latest kiss to look at her body quickly, his eyes clouded with lust. "Still as beautiful as ever, chere." He cupped one of her cheeks with his hand, and stroked the soft flesh with a thumb. He took a split second to stare into her eyes, before bringing her face down to his once more, infusing every emotion he felt for her into this kiss.

Somehow, even though her mind was clouded with lust and love and something akin to ecstasy, she felt like crying when he told her that he still thought her beautiful. If her could've gotten her mouth working (for speech that was), she might've told him how much she appreciated the sentiment and that he was just as ruggedly handsome as ever. Instead, she was forced to show him; such was a pity...or not. He was being so tender, so loving and all she wanted to do was eat him up like some kind of starving woman. Leaning down, she kissed him hard on the mouth and pulled so his chiseled, muscular body covered her soft, curvy one. "Please, Remy," She pleaded. She wanted this now, all right now.

Remy felt her pull, and the room spun for a moment. Next thing he knew, he was on top of her, and she was pleading for him. She looked so beautiful begging him to end her suffering right now, in the most electrifying way tonight. He ran a hand slowly down her body, over the juncture of her thighs, and smiled at her. "You need Remy dat badly, chere?" His eyes practically sparkled with excitement. He positioned himself with her, and smiled. "Okay den, Belle. Remy be more den 'appy t' give y' wha' y' wan'." His mouth crushed into hers again and he thrust forward once, joining their bodies. He held very still for a moment, remembering the glorious feeling that was all her. It'd been so long, and they still fit together like a pair of well fitted gloves.

The feeling of him inside of her made her cry out his name. It was for him, only for him and always for him. He'd had her virginity, he'd had her for years after that in a bed just like this one and now he was having her again. Nothing had changed, and yet, everything had changed.

He drove into her hard and fast, drawing her closer and closer to that peak of oblivion. She tightened around him, shaking and holding him closer; even as hard as she tried, she couldn't hold onto the orgasm she knew was coming. Her world erupted into chaos sending colors, feelings she'd long buried and love searing through her. She was his, for now and always. If she died with his name on her lips as it was now, she'd be the happiest woman on earth.

Remy kept driving into her. He knew she was done, but he wasn't, and if he could give her another breathtaking moment then all the better. After another minute or so, his body began to shake and his pace was disrupted by his own tumble over the edge of the cliff to oblivion. He yelled out her name and gave final thrust, before collapsing. A minute passed before he rolled to the side, so he wouldn't crush her, and pulled her with one arm into the side of his body. He smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. "Chere, as always, you were wonderful." He couldn't help it; everything was coming back to him now, all the feelings, the longing, and the feel of her body around him. In the back of his mind and deep in his heart and his soul, he wasn't sure if he would be able to leave this time. He'd walked away once, but it had nearly destroyed him to do so. If he tried again, he was afraid it would cause his heart to collapse on him, and his soul to dry up, unable to go to either heaven or hell.

Her second orgasm had taken her quite by surprise. She relished in the feeling of his white-hot seed being pumped into her; even after he had moved aside, she felt the heat within her. Breathing heavily, she let him snuggle up against her. Remy always loved to cuddle and talk after sex, whereas Belle usually enjoyed round two quite soon after. But tonight, she wanted to hold him close to her. "Y' too, chere," she answered breathily. Though their bodies were slick with sweat, she pulled the blanket up over them. Soon the blinding passion would cool and they would sleep for a time. But for now, they could share the comfort of love without fear or the need for sex; both needs had been assuaged today. This was a night she'd never, ever forget for as long as she lived…and it was all thanks to Remy LeBeau.


	3. Chapter 3

The week had flown by for the Thieves and Assassins Guild. BellaDonna had spent most of the time holed up in her bedroom…_ahem_, planning their attack on Bruno and the Destroyers. What it all came down to was today, Sunday. Truly, it promised to be a bloody Sunday indeed. With Easter right around the corner and it being a time of holiness, BellaDonna had been having one hell of a time keeping tabs on who was coming in and out of New Orleans. Tourists loved this time of year when pagan traditions met with the Catholic rites, weaving and blending a festival of colors. Bruno would surely be taking advantage of this, she could feel it.

Every minute that ticked away was one minute closer to a raging battle that would change BellaDonna's life forever. Either she would go down in Assassin and Thief history or she'd become the brood mare of a man who sought to destroy everyone she loved. She damn well hoped it would be the former.

On this particular Sunday, the sun didn't seem to come up at all. Darkness bathed the landscape as thunder rumbled on the horizon; the rain that poured down pelted the roof with fury. Belle had awoken with Remy's arms tangled around her, their naked bodies entwined from another night of blissful reaquaintance. At this rate, she didn't know if she'd survive him leaving and ending their "relationship" all over again...but for the time being, there were bigger things to contemplate. Like why, for example, there was a letter sitting against her alarm clock.

Sitting up, she grasped the letter and tore it open. Sighing, she gently ran her hand down Remy's back, "Get up, chere...it's time."

Remy was lying on his stomach, one arm wrapped around the pillow under his head, the other had been sprawled out over Belle. He had been dreaming glorious dreams of their...activities, and a small smile was plastered on his face, showing the obvious pleasure of what he was seeing. When Belle's hand ran down his back, he grumbled and tried to bury himself further into the bed. Her words though caused the dream to fade all too quickly, and his eyes snapped open.

Remy rolled onto his side and looked at her, the glazed sleep left his eyes, and he looked around. "It's time?" He didn't need her to answer, she had already and the letter held in her hand gave it away. He quickly rose from the bed and smiled at her. "Remy better get dressed den." He leaned over and kissed her briefly, and went to his room where his gear was. After pulling his combat suit of the duffle it had been stored in, he dressed and checked to make sure he had cards, and his collapsible staff. He donned his trench coat before setting his head gear on properly before heading back to Belle's room, to make sure she was ready.

BellaDonna was primed for this moment. For weeks she'd been working out, training, getting ready to lead the Assassins and Thieves into a war of their worlds. The older members were fighting for their love of the guild, the new ones to prove themselves worthy; it was all going to be fine. She had sent the young maid, Marta, to alert Questa—one of her team leaders. The battalion would be ready before she even got her latex body suit on for the morning. She was just zipping up the yellow and black cat suit as Remy made his way back in, "Dis' is it, chere, everyt'ing we've worked for." With her blonde hair braided to stay out of her way and the Boudreaux family dagger in hand, she leaned up and kissed him hard on the mouth. "Whatever 'appens today, know dat I still love y' chere but if it comes down t' dem or me..." Her voice was tight with restraining her feeling, "Den' its gunna be me."

Remy smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around her waist. He held her to his body even after she broke the kiss and smiled half heartedly. "I know chere. An' Remy would 'ave it no other way. Y'll do fine, Belle. Dis is what you was brought up f'." He kissed her again and then backed away. "Ol' Remy, he got your back. I won' let t' bastard touch y'."

Had he not listened to her? "Remy," She said softly, "I meant that if it comes down to him attacking or merely taking me and leaving the rest of you, I'm going to do it." Why? Because each and every one of these men and women in the guild were her family. Julien had died, so had Marius but the guild remained firm and strong even after all these years. "Dere's worse t'ings den' Belle being forced t' have de five o' six kids dat we wanted." She chuckled weakly but it wasn't very funny; she was being completely serious.

Remy shook his head, the smile still on his face. "Non. Remy t'inks Belle not listenin' to him." His eyes narrowed for a second, "Bruno's not gonna get de chance. If he wan' y', he got ta fight Remy for her. I won' let him get y'. I guarantee dat." He ran a hand lovingly over her shoulder, and then turned for the door. He pulled it open and stepped out of the room. He meant it. If Bruno wanted to take her, he'd challenge the man. It was a battle of honor. If Remy wins, Bruno would die. If Bruno won, well then Remy would be dead and it he wouldn't have to live with the knowledge that Belle was the man's slave. All he knew was he couldn't stand to lose Belle to that big bear of a bastard. He couldn't lose her at all, he knew it, and he was in her life for good this time.

She wanted to wrap her arms around him and show him how much she loved him, right then and there. However, there were things to be taken care of. Breakfast was a hurried affair, she just wanted to make sure he got his strength back (especially after their vigorous...training...last night). By the time nine am rolled around, the Assassins and Thieves, led by BellaDonna and Gambit were marching down Bourbon Street. They were here to fight for their lives and for their freedom, but most of all, for their love. No one could ever take that away from them.

* * *

Remy breezed through breakfast. He ate a few items placed before him, but he'd learned form his time with the X-Men that a fight on a full stomach was almost as dangerous as a fight on an empty one. He ate enough to not be hungry, not so much that he was full. He really wouldn't have eaten at all, but he knew Belle would have torn him a new one if he hadn't, and so he ate to keep her happy. Afterwards, he double-checked his cards (his original five packs plus the five he bought at the airport), and his staff, then left with the rest of the guild down Bourbon street. 

The tension was palpable in the air, he could feel it, taste it, smell it. It was hidden beneath the normal atmosphere of the holiday, but it was there. Anyone who'd spent enough time in combat could feel it, know it was there, and been on edge because of it. His eyes constantly scanned the street, alleyways, and alcoves between buildings. This was a fabulous street, full of culture and vitality, but he didn't have time to enjoy it, he was here for a mission, and he wouldn't let anything get in his way of that. He reached out a hand to Belle, and gripped hers reassuringly, and his other hand dove into his jacket pocket, pulling out a couple cards to be ready for the fight.

Rain poured down over the fervent fighters; luckily, it wasn't a bone-chilling rain as spring rains often were. No, this was a warm, gentle rain that washed away the sheen of filth that seemed to collect over everything during the night. BellaDonna smiled as Remy's hand slipped into hers; she did not look away from her trajectory, which was Bruno's hulking figure down at the end of the street, but Remy would know she cared.

When she was less than a hundred feet away, she put her hand up, stopping her warriors in their tracks. In French, she yelled from directives that everyone understood as 'don't move until I tell you to'. Striding forward, she met Bruno head on, "Let's end dis' t'day, cretin," She snapped. His group was made up of many large, muscled men like himself; not shockingly, there were no women on his team either.

His mouth opened into a toothy grin as he reached out, running his finger down her face, "It'll be my pleasure."

Remy grit his teeth when the man lifted a pudgy finger to run it over her face. He almost stepped forward and broke his finger off, but he had been told not to move, so he wouldn't. But that didn't mean he couldn't speak. "Bruno," When the man looked toward Remy, the Cajun just smiled and waved. "Remy t'ought he tol' you before, you wan' t' be taking your hands off de lady. If you don' listen to me dis time, mon ami, Remy gonna break dat finger off hismelf." His eyes narrowed dangerously and he shuffled the cards in his hand to sit between his fingers, perfect position to throw them. He was ready, the staff was in its holster on his right thigh, and he was alert. If anyone moved to attack Belle, or the others, Remy was going to show them what it was to be an X-Man.

BellaDonna would properly chastise Remy for his insubordination later but she was so glad to have Bruno's finger off her face that it almost didn't matter. "Here's de rules," She began, "Dey're ain' no rules. But Belle, she get t' take y' down personally, Bruno." Her Guild could hold their own easily, each had been trained with that special blend of knowing their place and knowing when to take a stand.

Laughing, he took one step back from her, "It's on then, beautiful."

BellaDonna stepped back, waiting. As soon as she saw a mere twitch of movement, she gave the signal. The war cry went up, clamoring high above Bourbon Street, all across New Orleans. The battle for the city was on! Many of the Assassins and Thieves had mutant powers (it must have been something in the water) and were easily able to hold their own against the brutes of Bruno's Guild. Try as they might, there were just more of the Unified Guild members...Bruno had severely limited his options by not allowing women in his guild.

Speaking of Bruno, Belle had headed straight for him. The fray of senseless beating, the electric pulse of adrenaline and sheer power raged around them but all Belle could see was him. Vengeance was hers, at long last. One of her powerful plasma blasts sent him hurdling into a streetlamp that groaned and cracked with the blunt force of his body against it; glass shattered over his head and she smiled. Score one for Boudreaux. But the man had some sort of healing factor, it looked like, for he got right back up and charged at her.

Energy coursed through her body, fueling the power that she so desperately needed to win this. His fist slammed into the side of her face and she toppled over, spitting blood. Half-sitting up, she sent another blast that took out a chunk of his side...but he wasn't stopping. Eyes widening, she watched as he came down on top of her, crushing her against the street and tearing at her face and clothes with his arms, legs and teeth. A cry of fury went through her as she struggled; try as she might, she was weakened by the energy that her power required; with over two hundred seventy pounds of him on top of her, she didn't stand a fighting chance. The last ounce of pride she had, she swallowed with a scream that was building in her throat.

When the battle began, a trio of Destroyers had moved to intercept Belle on her run at Bruno. Remy charged the cards in his hand and let them fly. The three cards slammed into the chests of three men and blew holes in them, keeping Belle's path to the big brute clear. Remy sighed; she hadn't even noticed how close she came to getting taken out. He couldn't blame her though, Bruno was the one that had made her life hell for the past months, maybe years for all he knew, and she wanted revenge. Immediately, Destroyers came out of the wood work and joined the building fray between the guilds. Remy went into action, remembering every ounce of training Cyclops had put him through; he'd never been happier that he's trained with a tight assed perfectionist in his whole life.

The collapsible staff came out and extended as Remy fought his way through the mass of soldiers. His staff slammed into the side of one Destroyers' head, and then Remy kicked a second. Charged cards flew out and took out three more brutes. It was like Bruno had chosen his men based on size, not on intelligence or fighting prowess. Remy wouldn't complain, made them easy pickings. He saw a Destroyer raise his fist crush the face of a thief and Remy sprang into action; without hesitation he grabbed the Destroyer's fist, and touched the man's shirt, charging it with energy before whipping around and slamming his staff into the man's chest. The man's body erupted in a burst of flames. What a way to go…

Remy started looking around for Belle; he had lost her in the action. He muttered a silent curse in a mix of French and English, and then started running. The mass of fighters seemed to part for a split second, and Remy spotted Bruno on top of Belle. He grabbed a card and then charged the end of his staff. Slamming the end of it into the ground caused Remy to launch skyward. In midair he looked down and charged the card, launching it at Bruno's back. It hit the large man in the small of his back, but only enough to make him look around. Remy landed near by and charged his staff once more. "BRUNO! I tol' y', 'ands off de chere!" He whipped around in a full circle as Bruno started to rise. The end of the staff came around and slammed in to the side of Bruno's face like a baseball bat. The explosion from it caused Bruno's head to splatter in all direction, and the shockwave that came off him almost caused Remy to fall over. Healing factor or not, he wouldn't get up form that one. He regained his balance and closed the distance to Belle. "Chere, you alright?"

Bits of grey matter and bodily fluid splashed against her cat suit...damned if she'd ever wear this thing again. It was definitely time for a new one, preferably not in yellow. Bruno would never be able to heal from that damage; he was well and truly dead. She reached up, grabbing Remy and pulling him close to her. For the first time in a long time, tears welled in her eyes, "T'ank y', chere." These were not tears of sadness but tears of joy.

Standing shakily, she clung to Remy for support. In her very loudest voice, she began to proclaim their victory, "De Unified Guild wins again!" She cried over and over again until the noise of victory echoed across all of New Orleans, into every building, into every home.

Laughing, she threw her arms around Remy, "We won, chere, we won!" Her lips met his and she kissed him long and hard.

Remy wrapped his arms around her slender waist as she kissed him. He lifted her off the ground and spun her in two circles before setting her down. He smiled at her after the kiss was broken and ran a hand through her blonde hair. "A'course we did, chere. Remy never doubted we'd dat." Yes, tonight would be a great night. And after the partying died down, Remy and Belle could begin to rebuild what was broken all those years ago. He didn't ever want to let her go, not now that he had her back.

Tonight there would be a real feast, a celebration that none of them would ever forget. For the first time in a long time, the guild truly had something to rejoice over. Peace was restored to the land once again and all was right with the world.

* * *

Darkness bathed the earth like a heavy velvet blanket. A hint of twilight was in the air, disrupted only by an overly drunk thief hurling his share of the paella into the bushes. The party had commenced early in the evening with toasts and enough wine to re-sink the Titanic, followed by hours of good food, conversation and friends. Just now— long past the dusky hours of evening and on into the trolling hours—the party was dying down. Many a thief or assassin was bunking down in the hall tonight or, if they were lucky, got one of the guest rooms. 

Still, even with all the people roaming around, BellaDonna saw no one but Remy LeBeau. They had strolled around the grounds, as it was the first night in a long time it was safe to do so. Many things had been shared over the last week but mostly it had been his recounting his riotous times with the X-men and her trials and tribulations with the Guild. Despite the many nights they had spent in each other's arms, their relationship hadn't come up since their reunion. Belle, for one, didn't know if she could keep polite conversation flowing anymore.

She sat on the porch, her legs dangling over the side of the house. Remy was pressed to her side, the smell of him igniting her senses and making her painfully aware of what he did to her. She'd only had a couple glasses of wine; just enough to put a touch of color in her cheeks and make her relaxed. Everything seemed perfect, the warm night, fireflies drifting across the lawn, the waxing moon in the sky...and the one she loved beside her. Of course, though, her big mouth always ruined it. Looking over at him, she slung her arm around his lean hips, "I still love y', y' know, chere." She said her voice barely above a whisper. They'd won now and he'd return home and forget she ever existed all over again. She had to tell him; it was now or never.

Remy was enjoying the night as much as Belle was, as much as any of them were. They'd just won a major victory over a rival guild, and a celebration was in order. It couldn't get better than this. Well, that wasn't true, it could. Remy knew what his feelings were and despite his best efforts, he still loved the woman next to him. Somehow, though, in the last week…it had stopped bothering him. He was happy he felt this way, although he had a sinking feeling he'd be heading right for heartbreak ridge if he told her; Belle was a stubborn woman and he had hurt her. If she would only reciprocate…and just like that, she did. And he felt himself soar to cloud nine. Remy placed a hand on the small of her back, and pulled her onto his lap. He spun them around so she was pressed to the house, and closed the space between them. He leaned his head forward and kissed her left ear before speaking into it. "Belle, y' got no idea how dat make Remy feel. Remy never stopped lovin' y', chere. An' he never will."

Belle had been expecting many things like excuses, rationalizations on why it would, could and should never work out, and, in the worst of situations, him telling her once again that he cared nothing for her. He pressed her up against the house, their bodies flush against one another, "I love y', I do." She repeated, wrapping her arms him, "Belle neva' stopped, Remy. When y' left all dose years ago, after Julien..." Her voice trailed off as she thought about her slain brother. Tonight wasn't a night to be thinking about him, tonight was about rekindling love that she'd tried to snuff out for years, "I t'ought y' didn' wan' Belle, dat killed me chere."

Remy shook his head as he cupped her face in his hands, and gently kissed her on the lips. When he pulled back, he looked into her eyes. "Trut' is, chere, Remy never wanted to leave. After Julien...well, Remy was excommunicated from N'Awlins, an' banished. If he refused ta leave, da wars woulda started 'gain." He smiled sadly at her and took a step back. "Remy left, so Belle wouldn't have to worry 'bout war again or livin' on de streets. How did Remy know where he was headin' t'? I left, 'cause I love y', and I didn' wan' to see y' hurting again like dat. I tol' y' I didn' love y', chere, 'cause it was de only way y'd let Remy go. For dat, Belle, Remy is truly sorry."

Sighing heavily, she rested her face in the crook of his neck, "I know, chere, I know it all an' still my heart aches; I knew dat Belle was t' mourn f' Julien but...I mourned more f' y' than I did my pushy older brot'er." Maybe it was wrong, but once she spent her tears over a man she loved more than life itself; she barely had any left for Julien. "But y' here now," She sat back up, their eyes meeting. How long was this going to last? He was still an X-man, he loved being an X-man...she couldn't ask him to leave, nor could she leave. The thought left her stomach feeling off kilter...she couldn't lose him again. "Where does dis' leave us?"

Remy smiled softly at her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He wrapped her warmly in his arms sat back against the house so he could lean on it while he held her. "Chere, Remy is still an X-Man. I made promises to dem. Xavier knew Remy was comin' here, an' I wouldn' be surprised if he figured out why." He used one hand to lift her face to look at him, and put as much heat into the gaze as he could into the look he gave her. "But, y'r right. Remy here now. De X-Men, dey may call, dey may not. Never know wit' dem. I can' promise y' da stars, or t'morrow. But Remy, he can promise y' right now. Jus' know dat I love y', an' I always will, chere."

Was that enough? Belle doubted that she could take that at face value and move on...a younger Belle might've been able to, but she was smarter now. Or was she? All she wanted to do was curl up tighter in his arms and make every second count. He wanted to be with her for the next ten minutes, the next ten lifetimes until they died together, old and grey with six-score grandkids and great grandkids. Resting her head on his chest, she looked out over the darkness, "I was afraid dat I'd never hold y' like dis again." She couldn't look at him, not right now, "After y' left, I used t' have dese dreams we was sittin' here, like dis' an' den y' were gone an' y' never came back." Maybe it was childish, but the dreams had plagued her for years after he left. They had faded as time had passed, but some nights were marked by her skin breaking out in a cold sweat, waking up all alone. Never again, she vowed it now, never again.

Remy ran a hand through her blonde hair, massaging her scalp as he moved. "But I did come back, Belle. Even after I swore I never would. I still came back. I tried forgettin' ya, chere, but I never could." Remy kissed each one of her cheeks, and then her lips again. "Remy t'ink it be time da talkin' stopped. We should make every minute count, non?" Again his lips moved next to her ear, "Voulez vous coucher avec moi?"

That Remy LeBeau always was as sweet talker. Without another word, she gently slipped from her position and took his hand in hers. Silently she stepped over sleeping thieves and assassins on the way to the bedroom. Tonight, they would make love in the room where she gave him her virginity, the room that would have been theirs had they stayed married. The door closed silently behind her and she kissed him, deeply, passionately. Every breath counted, every heartbeat was an affirmation of their love. "Oui, chere," She whispered let go of him long enough to lay back on the bed, opening herself to him. She was his to undress, his to make love to, to have and to hold until death (or extenuating circumstances) did them part.

Remy allowed himself to be led back through the house and to his room, or so he thought. When she stopped in front of an all too familiar door, his breathing hitched. This was their old room, the room they'd consummated their love in, the room where he'd made a woman out of her. So many memories lived beyond those doors, and before he could say anything to object to this room, or agree with her choice, the door was opened and she led him inside. He definitely agreed with this room the moment she climbed onto the bed, and yielded to him. He smiled at her and walked toward the bed, removing his shirt as he moved. He climbed onto the bed and up her body, his hands moving to begin undressing her. "J'taime," He whispered.

That night, that wonderful magic night reignited every love the two of them ever shared. Feelings they didn't even know they had rushed to the surface over and over again. It was well past dawn before they curled up next to each other and drowned out the daylight for a well needed "night's" sleep.

* * *

**Oh boy, we're soo sorry this took so long! It was written a while ago but Fanfiction was not allowing us to upload this new chapter!!! **

**So sorry for the holdup!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A lot happens in this chapter and we'd really like your opinion: GOOD AND BAD. In short: Read and Review!**

**Thank you in advance for you continued cooperation. **

**Hehe,**

**kisses From James and Marina**

* * *

With no battle plans, no looming war over their head, the week had passed blissfully by for Belle and Remy. They had spent time out on the town, enjoying Easter in one another's company, hosting the annual Easter egg hunt for the Assassin and Thief children. It was a wonderfully fun event...and speaking of bunnies, Remy and Belle had been going at it just like a pair of them. Every day had been spent filled with picnics in the park, a swim in the old lake, visits with old friends and to top it all off, mind blowing sex. You'd think they'd get tired of one another...but it just didn't seem to be the case. For the first time in a long time BellaDonna and Remy were truly happy. 

It had been almost two weeks since Bruno had been killed and the Destroyers were driven from New Orleans. Once again, everyone was lulling themselves into a false sense of security...especially Belle. The morning had started off sunny enough, clouds drifting over the sun occasionally and darkening the room. For once, Remy had gotten up before her, perhaps making breakfast in bed as he had promised to do one of these days. Even as badly as she wanted to sit in bed and wait for him to come back for a morning romp, a hot shower was calling her name.

Rolling out of bed, she pulled her blue silk bathrobe from the closet and wrapped it around herself. Padding into the bathroom, she turned on the water as hot as it would go; she stepped in, letting the hot water soothe her body. Distantly she heard a phone ring and merely ignored it...someone else could get it this morning.

Remy had, in fact, been doing just what Belle had assumed. He was down in the kitchen whipping up pancakes and sausage, toast with butter, and some freshly squeezed orange juice. He had just put it all on a tray to carry upstairs, when he heard the phone ringing. He looked around, and poked his head out of the kitchen to see if anyone else was around to answer it. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be picking up. Sighing, Remy grabbed the nearest phone while he carried the tray up to their room. "Hello, dis be Remy." The voice on the other end of the line nearly made Remy drop the tray...Charles Xavier.

Remy recovered enough to not make a mess, and began talking to the older mutant. "Oui, Professor, everyt'ing be fine here...Oui...Non..." He closed his eyes and mentally cursed for having answered the phone. Belle was not going to like this. "Oui, Professor… I understand, au revoir." He hung up the phone and opened the door to the bedroom; luckily Belle was taking a shower. That bought him some time… he didn't want to have to tell her just yet. The tray was sat down on the bedside table, and Remy quickly began getting dressed in his combat gear. Belle really was not going to like this.

The smell of her lilac shampoo wafted around her as she stepped out of the shower, wrapping her towel around herself. On another morning, she might have spent a half hour or more under the water but she had someone to hurry back to today. Not to mention, she was hoping that her favorite (and only) lover had food; she was ravenous. Opening the bathroom door in nothing the blue silk robe, cracked open to show just a little bit of skin, she smiled at the man and the food. Unfortunately, her smile was short lived; Remy was putting on his trench coat, his boots..."Chere, w'ats goin' on?"

Remy turned to face Belle as she emerged form the shower. The fact that she did not startle him even a little, and the fact that her scantily clad body was having no effect on him, provided evidence that he was entering combat mode, fully alert. He sighed and motioned to the still hot breakfast. "Remy made y' breakfast, chere." He sat down on the bed, so she could sit near her food, and ran a hand through his hair. "Remy t'inks you bes' sit down, He need t' talk t' y'."

Belle knew this was going to happen...he was going to get a call and he'd rush off to play hero to someone other heroine. She just never expected it to happen so soon. He'd only just arrived, she'd only just gotten him back...this wasn't fair! How could God be so cruel as to grant her this one wish and then take it away all in the blink of an eye, "I don't wan' t' sit down, chere. I wan' an answer, a straight answer!" She refused to budge until she knew what was happening.

Remy rose from where he was sitting and walked to stand in front of Belle. "Okay den, Belle." He took her hands in his and a sad look crossed his face. "Xavier called, while y' was in de shower. De X-Men operate in teams an' Remy's team had time off while Remy was gone. But the ot'er team, dey was on a mission and got ambushed. Xavier, he tried to fin' a way to get dem back wit'out havin' t' call for Remy, but he run out o' option, chere. De team needs me. Wolverine, he'll be 'ere in an hour wit' a plane, den me and him, we's goin' t' join de res' o' my team and save dem."

The last thing she wanted him to do right now was touch her. If he touched her it was over, she'd be the simpering, crying girl he'd left in New Orleans the first time; she practically ripped her hand away when he tried to take it, "W'ats dat mean den, chere? Y' go save dem from untimely destruction and den what?" She snapped. She couldn't help the tears that were slowly building in her throat.

Remy winced as she pulled her hands away. Hurt managed to break through the mask of combat preparation and showed clearly on his face. He had to take a few breaths to calm himself and keep from crying like a babe. "Dat, Belle, depends on how bad off de ot'er team is. If dey hurtin' somet'in' fierce, den Remy got to stay dere, and take up da slack. If not, Remy can come back." He turned away, unable to face her for the next bit. He could only manage to speak it in a low voice, almost a whisper. "But, dey has been missin' f' t'ree days now. An' dey had Scott wit' dem. Dey been gone dis lon' wit' him as team leader, dere's little hope dat dey aint hurt, or worse. Remy most likely won' be able t' come back."

Turning her back, she choked back the first sob. If she thought him leaving the first time hurt, the second time was about the blow her away. The rush of emotion, the pain, anger, nausea, passion, fear...all of it slammed into her at once. "Don' bot'er comin' back dis' time, _chere_," her voice and hands shook violently. "Belle will no' be de girl trailin' on y' heels for de rest of her life. I ain' gunna be 'poor Belle' all over again." Walking to the bedside table, she opened the drawer, "Y' gave dese t' me on my weddin' day," the diamond engagement ring and the simple gold band gleamed in the early morning sunshine. "Well take dem back, 'cause Belle ain' gunna be dat girl again." With an assassin's eye, she hurled them at him, the metal bouncing against his chest and falling onto the floor before him. "Go an' take de BMW, I know y' like it...consider it a goodbye present."

Remy watched the rings hit is heart and clink to the floor. It seemed to move in slow motion, like the last sight of a dying man. And it was. He'd continue living, sure, but inside, he was broken, dead. She was telling him not to come back, she didn't want him. He'd told her this might happen, he thought she had understood. He might not be able to return right away, but once the other team was back to full strength, then yes, he could come back. But she didn't want him back. He took the staff out of its holster, and extended it, using the end to pick up the rings. He held them in one hand, and a single tear fell onto them. He closed his fist around them and grabbed his already packed bag. All he could bring himself to do was nod. As he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Belle. If y' don' wan' t' see Remy, den Remy will stay ou' o' N'Awlins. Remy ne'er meant t' hur' y'." He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Au revoir, mon amour" As the sound of a distant plane came into hearing range, Remy walked out of the room, and closed the door.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Belle lost control. Her knees buckled, her chest heaved and she cried. She cried until she was literally sick, her face flushed with fever and her stomach knotted; she cried until the sunlight faded into blackness. She cried until there were no tears left and, still, she felt a twisting ache inside of her. Remy was gone, again. She was alone, unloved; tired and sick...this was her reality, her curse. Never again would she open herself up again; she couldn't bear it.

* * *

The high-pitched whine of the aircraft's engines started to die down as Logan and Remy ran through "power-down procedures". Once they were sure everything was in order, Remy lowered the boarding ramp and stood up. "Logan, Remy gonna go check on de 'Fearless Leader' over dere." All he got in response was a grunt from the older mutant. 

Remy left the cockpit and walked to the back of the plane; he looked down at the sleeping mutant on the medical bed. Seeing Scott worn out like that shook something vital in Remy. This was their leader, the man who led them fearlessly into combat time and time again. And yet, here he was barely alive when they found him. Sighing, Remy lifted Scott and carried the man down the ramp to the waiting medical team. He'd have to give them a full report soon but for now, Scott's health was Remy's main concern.

Jean looked at Remy expectantly, waiting silently for news. As soon as Remy opened his mouth to recount what had happened, his mind drifted back to six weeks earlier, when the second team had completed the first team's mission. They had rescued the Blue team and gotten them out of the facility when Logan pointed out what everyone else had been accounted for…and Scott wasn't with them. The other team recalled Scott being taken away and not being kept separately. With a little skill and a lot of prayers, the Gold team got all of team Blue out…but that still left Scott. Logan and Remy had volunteered to stay with the second craft and search for Scott. It had taken a lot of courage, and brawn, especially when it came to rescuing their fearless commander.

War cries had echoed through a shrouded overseas military base where mutants were being experimented on, followed explosions and gunfire. The only reason they managed to find Scott in all the chaos was because Logan could smell him. They'd gotten Scott out, freed some other mutants to serve as a distraction, and hightailed it back to the aircraft. One week later they were home. Well their home. Remy didn't think of it that way anymore, his home was once again New Orleans.

He hugged Jean briefly and patted her back comfortingly. "We got 'im back. He'll be jus' fine, I guarantee." He smiled as he pulled away and called over his shoulder to Logan, who was exiting the plane. "Remy gonna go take a shower. Six weeks o' fiel' work no' make Remy smell like roses." He chuckled and moved on out of the lower levels and to his room for a long, hot shower. He had more than the pressure of the mission to wash away; he needed to wash away Belle's last words to him, too.

The flushing sound of the toilet had become quite a familiar tattoo for Belle; every morning, every evening she was plagued by some unknown sickness that devastated her body. In six weeks she had become so frail-looking that Questa had actually taken pity on her; he began doing some of the reconstruction work that Belle needed to get done. New Orleans was slowly making its way back after the last big hurricane and Bruno's destroyers. Belle was the primary advocate for rebuilding her beloved city...or, she had been before she became so ill.

The first week after Remy had left, she was ill from crying and missing him. She yearned for him with every fiber of her being; god, how she wished that she hadn't sent him away. But then, what difference would it have made if he left in two weeks or two years? She'd still be all alone, picking up the pieces of her shattered heart; at least, now, she had a chance to get over it. Or, as it turned out, maybe she didn't.

By a month after Remy had taken off, Belle began to suspect that something was horribly, terribly, irrevocably wrong with her. She was late, for Christ's sake, she hadn't been late since she was thirteen years old! Panic rose in her throat but she forced to back down. So, she was late! Who cared? She was under enough stress as it was...it couldn't be anything more than that. Right?

Wrong. Two weeks later, Belle was still becoming ill...violently, unbearably ill and she was so dreadfully late. She sat at her desk— the very desk that Remy and she had made love on one night—her personal calendar was open in front of her. Wildly she flipped through it, "Dat's t'irty-five, t'irty six..." Fuck.

With the firm intention of going for a walk to calm down, Belle bolted down Bourbon Street. The pharmacy sat on the corner; its doors open to the breezy, warm spring weather. She didn't care about the weather though; she wanted to know immediately what was going on. It was a good thing that the man working in the pharmacy didn't know her and kept his mouth shut when she threw a box on the counter along with twenty dollars. "Keep de change," she snapped and half-walked, half-ran into the ladies' bathroom. Closing the door, she shut it and locked it up tight.

Directions were simple enough, pee on the stick...two lines, pregnant, one line, not pregnant. How could she screw it up? Well, it was that simple...she couldn't, because she already knew the truth. Putting the seat of the toilet down she waited and waited...lord almighty, it was the longest three minutes of her life. She was determined not to peek, as that could skew the results. She had to know...she just had to.

Seconds ticked by and finally, it was time. Belle pulled the cap off the pregnancy test and shut her eyes against the truth. Burying her head in her hands, she shook with tears. Remy was gone and now she was pregnant...no, no this couldn't be happening. Except that all the signs were there: the breast tenderness, her sense of smell that was off the wall, awful morning sickness that—by the way, was in no way, shape or form limited to mornings, and she'd gained a small amount of weight that seemed to have settled in her hips and her breasts. There was no misdiagnosis here...and BellaDonna was in big trouble.

Remy shut off the water as the last of the hot shower ran down his back. He ran a hand through his hair, which had gotten pretty long in his six weeks on that mission and scratched his chin through the small beard that was forming. He stepped out of the shower, walked over to the bed in his room and let himself drip dry; he didn't even have the energy to towel himself off. For about the fiftieth time since he'd come into the room since his return, he eyed the cell phone sitting on the nightstand. He could pick it up, and call her, see how she was doing. Tell her he was ok, and wanted to come see her. No, she had told him to stay gone this time. He picked up the cell phone and looked at it. It'd be so easy to just dial the number, right? With a sigh, Remy set the phone back down and started to get dressed for the day.

Morally speaking, she was going straight to hell. She'd been married and divorced, a big no-no in Catholicism and now she was pregnant, out of wedlock at this point, with her ex-husband's baby. It was no wonder God was pissed off with her at the moment...she had broken just about every cardinal rule there ever was. Things could only get worse from here, she thought.

A knock on the bathroom door told her that some other pharmacy patron needed to use the restroom. She had to get off the pot; she had to make her choice. It just seemed wrong to think about destroying this baby… on some level, she wanted this baby more than anything she'd ever wanted before. This was Remy's child, his parting gift to her. And speaking of Remy, what rights did he have here? Would he want this baby? It was all a mess, a giant mess...and BellaDonna, for one, needed some time to think about it.

Remy stepped out of the walk-in closet fully dressed, sans shoes, and stopped by the nightstand again. His eyes drifted to the phone once more, "Remy, w'at de hell y' torturin' y'self for?" Angrily he grabbed the cell phone and debated chucking it out into the hallway. With his current luck he'd peg Logan square in the head and then a fight would ensue. The last thing he needed was someone sending Belle a picture of his body with six claw jammed through him. He laughed morbidly at the thought, and then hit the button on the phone. Speed dial for the Guild house. He listened, and soon a younger male's voice answered. Remy cursed and asked after Belle. He was promptly told she was not there, but that a message would be delivered to her on her return. Remy gave the kid, for he surely couldn't be older than some of the fresh graduates here at the mansion, his cell number. He hung up and sat down. He didn't expect her to call back. In fact, he expected that if she called, she'd be yelling at him for trying to talk to her. Women and their damned emotions!

Questa assaulted her the second she came through the door telling her that Remy had called and he wanted her to call him back. The man was busy, seeing as he was the co-Viceroy to the guilds right now. The paper revealed the number but BellaDonna didn't want to look at it. Crumpling the paper, she chucked it aside before heaving herself onto the bed. Slowly her hand came to rest over her abdomen. There wasn't much change, was there? Sure she looked a little heavier but...she had chalked it up to the late-night ice cream that seemed to keep her mind off men in general. In truth, his child was growing inside of her...and despite the fact that they had parted on bad terms, he was still persisting. For once in his miserable life he was fighting for something he loved; after all these years he was finally learning from his mistakes. Yes, BellaDonna would call on him...but she wasn't going to be using a phone; that was for sure.

Remy hoisted himself off the bed, and walked out of the room. He needed some food. Field rations had run out by the third week and while Logan could get by on eating the fruits of the wilderness and had once offered Remy some, Remy had no desire to follow suit. So he had resorted to bits and pieces of edible food for the rest of their six week ordeal. Needless to say, no meat did not make for a pleasant Remy. He casually descended the stairs and passed the giggling crowd of girls who had come to see the object of their late night desires return. He waved off handedly to the pair who vocalized their pleasure at his return, and strolled right to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and was disappointed there were no leftovers. "What's dis? Remy ain' here t' cook, so no one bothers to do so?" His hunger and rage over his parting with BellaDonna were starting to take a toll on him.

He finally decided on some pasta with chicken; it was simple and he'd make extra for some other time. Besides, he doubted that Logan wouldn't smell the cooking food from outside and come lumbering in for a free meal. A final sweep of the fridge showed that they at least had bought some beer while he and Logan were gone. "Mercy, beer. How Remy has missed you. Let me count de ways." He laughed a little and popped the top while he started on his meal.

BellaDonna's call to Xavier had been...enlightening to say the least. At first she had been reluctant to call him; he was Remy's mentor and friend. He'd probably heard all about BellaDonna and what she'd done. But the man seemed perfectly amiable on the phone and it was almost like he knew she would call. Their conversation had included her asking him if he might have a guest room available for a little while...for, say, nine months or so. He had been shocked at first, but quickly told her he'd make arrangements. It wasn't that Belle was sentimental about Remy being present at the birth… but she couldn't give birth to a child in New Orleans. No one could know about this…if it got out that BellaDonna was pregnant and unwed, there would be a riot in the guild. At least, if she had time to recover after the birth before going back, she could fight for her position. Besides, Remy had the right to know he was going to be a father. Even if he wanted nothing more to do with her, he would still be this baby's father.

Remy finished making the food and had already gone through two beers. Logan had not shown up, so Remy figured the older man was either not hungry or had some unfinished work to attend to. Remy left some for him, wrote Logan's name on the side of the container, and grabbed a third beer. He was about to head back upstairs when Xavier's mental voice called to him. He went to see the founder of the Institute, and was promptly made aware that a guest would be staying with them, and, could he please make sure the third floor guest room, two doors down from his own, was ready? Remy agreed, and quickly went to work, wondering why this task had been given to him, and who this guest was. Remy shrugged it off, the man had his reasons. If he'd paid more attention, he would have seen the smug, knowing smile that graced Xavier's face moments before Remy left the office.

Midnight struck with a vengeance. Belle was up, hurling that night's ham dinner into the toilet; damn, once she got her hands on Remy she was going to kill him! Her bags had been packed by Marta and arranged into a large black SUV; air travel was too risky at this point and she wanted a giant vehicle so that any accidents that might occur would be minor. People on the road were crazy and she wanted to protect herself and this child. The route to New York was incredibly long; well over eighteen hours...there was no point in delaying the inevitable. After all, Questa had agreed to take over for her during her sabbatical and all of her affairs were in order. All she had to do now was focus on herself and her baby. With the radio tuned and her life in hand, Belle pulled away from her ancestral home and began the most difficult journey of her life.

Remy finished with the room after five hours. New sheets were put on the bed, he had vacuumed, dusted, made sure there was a fresh bar of soap and some shampoo in the bathroom, restocked the medicine cabinet with band-aids and such, just in case, and made sure all the dresser drawers and the closet were empty. He was tired, but he still couldn't sleep. He walked back down stairs to the recreation room and turned on what looked like the sports channel. Seeing some old hockey games on, he smiled and sat down to watch a couple. Maybe the reruns of the game would help put him to sleep. It worked all too well, for within half an hour he was passed out on the couch, the game still on.


	5. Chapter 5

BellaDonna was **not** a happy camper. She had frequented just about every rest stop from Baton Rouge to New York State. Her body ached, her hair was a mess and there seemed to be no end in sight. And then, suddenly she had arrived. Twenty-four full hours had passed since she left New Orleans and suddenly it seemed like the time had passed too quickly. Xavier had given her the pass code to the garage and she parked in a free space next to a very expensive looking Ferrari. The man was rich, she'd give him that, but he'd also been very helpful. Now, if she could just find somewhere to freshen up before she saw Remy...

Remy was woken rather unceremoniously by Logan who flipped the couch over like some military drill sergeant. "Cajun, you've been asleep for almost a full day. Get the hell up. The Leaves' are playing in thirty minutes, and I'm not gonna miss the game because you're napping." The rather gruff looking Canadian growled around a cigar in his mouth, which was unlit due to Xavier's smoking rules. Remy waved absently and started to get up. Logan righted the couch and flopped down then looked at Remy again. "By the way, thanks for the leftovers. I was starving this morning and my left bicep stopped looking appetizing about two days ago." He chuckled at that while Remy started upstairs to take another shower.

After words he came down and looked around. The Leaves' game was on, and Remy didn't especially like the team, so he wouldn't want to watch it. "Remy go for a ride, Scott's bike needs to be aired out." He was doing the other mutant a favor if you thought about it. The bike would just sit there otherwise, and going long periods with out being started, let alone ridden, was not good for the engine of a motorcycle. Remy smiled at his idea and made his way to the garage. As he opened the door, he spotted a new black SUV parked next to the Ferrari. "Must be Xavier's guest. Remy go help." He approached the vehicle slowly, trying to see who it was inside.

Belle flung the door open, her legs still unsteady from the nausea. The last bout had ended about two minutes ago but if she moved around too much, she was liable to deposit this morning's breakfast onto her driving shoes. Stepping out, she leaned against the car, her head tilted back as she stared toward the entrance way. Right through that door, somewhere, was Remy...and as much as she wanted to find him and show him exactly why he should never have left her, the other part of her was telling her to let him find her.

Remy saw the blond hair on the other side of the SUV, but the angle he was at he couldn't see the face. Instead he started around it, and put on his most award winning smile. "Bonjour, an' welcome to de illustrious Xavier Institute, I am Remy Le—" As he came around, he saw her. It couldn't be, he was dreaming. That was it, he was still asleep on the couch, or had slipped in the shower and hit his head…that had to be it. She said she never wanted to see him again, so what would she be doing here? And she didn't look too good either. "Belle? Chere, wa't y' doin' 'ere? Remy t'ought you said you ne'er wan'ed t' se him again! Are y' alrigh'?" He hoped some of Bruno's gang hadn't risen up and driven her from New Orleans. But what else could it be?

Yes, God definitely hated her. She stepped out of the car, smelling like vomit and diner food; her knees went weak at the sight of him. At first, he didn't seem to recognize her but once he did, she knew it was over. She wanted to throw him into the backseat of the car and relive every second of their child being created. Oh, right, their child. Belle had firmly intended on telling him she had come here because of the baby, the snide voice that come out instead shocked her. "Guild business, chere," She snapped, "Not'ing dat concerns y' in de least." Why did she do this to herself? She had erected a wall between them, a painful, blinding edifice that would only make him hate her. But she wasn't ready yet...she wasn't ready to tell him.

He took a step back at the snap and tone of her voice. Hurt flashed across his face, and that was quickly replaced by anger. Fine, Guild business, then he'd take her bags, show her to her room and be done with it. He wasn't part of the Guild anymore, so it didn't matter to him, "Fine." The cold finality in his voice surprised him a bit. "Let Remy get y' bags and show y' to de room." He opened the back of the SUV and grabbed her stuff. "Dis way." He turned without sparing a second glance for her, and started walking. If she followed good, if not then her bags would be in her room and she could find it her own damned self.

This wasn't how she intended their reunion to go...she wanted there to be love and passion. There was only anger and pain here, she could see it in his face but she could feel it in her heart as well. Silently she followed along a few steps behind him, clutching her purse and the travel bag she'd used on the way. He led her to a room that overlooked the gardens, a lovely, spacious room with its own bathroom. It would do very nicely...seeing as she couldn't imagine herself bolting down the hall to the communal bathroom every time the urge struck. Turning back to him, she flipped her tussled blonde hair, "T'anks."

Remy set her bags down on the bed and turned to leave. She tossed her hair in that way that even if he was on his death bed would arouse him. He had to fight down the urge to pick her up, toss her on the bed, and show her why she shouldn't be here for just business. He chose not to acknowledge her thanks, "Dinner's at 7. Breakfast 'tween seven an' ten and den lunch 'tween twelve and two. If y' miss a meal, dere's usually leftovers in de fridge. I'll go tell Xavier y' here, so y' can get de Guild business underway," He refused to look at her the entire time and then started for the door.

Standing there so close to him without being able to touch him made her want to weep. He was so close and yet so far away; she resented her raging hormones and her big mouth! But she wouldn't apologize for what he had done to wrong her, that wasn't in her nature. She had the ability to turn around, call him back and take him into her arms but she was so afraid of what might happen. She wasn't ready to tell him yet why she had traveled hundreds of miles to see him; maybe it was selfish on her part but she couldn't go through with it. Instead of the romantic words of love, another cold expression came pouring out of her mouth, "I'll see y' 'round, den. Or maybe not," Goddamn it.

The way she said her 'goodbye', if you could call it that, made him angrier. He couldn't even speak. He gave a noncommittal wave of his hand and left her room. Stalking down the hall Remy went two doors down and entered his room. He slammed the door, which caused a few residents of the third floor to poke their heads to make sure no one was being killed. Satisfied, they tucked back into their rooms, and Remy slumped against the wall by his door, safely hidden away in his room. Damn you, Xavier, why'd you put her two doors down from me? He couldn't even make a proper angry exit because she was two doors down! Remy hit his head against the wall a few times, and had to fight the urge to jump up and run over to apologize to her.

Nausea swept over her again and she bolted for the bathroom. Not even five minutes in the room and she'd already christened the porcelain toilet bowl. Tears stung in her throat as she laid her head against the cool tile; she loved him with all of her heart and soul. Couldn't she set her rage and pain aside for the sake of her child? Didn't this baby deserve a mother _and_ a father? A sob choked her as she covered her head with her arms...the world seemed very bleak today.

Remy got up after a few minutes and opened the door. He didn't need to prostrate himself to her—well, one knock wouldn't hurt. He could just say he was sorry for leaving, and that would be it. He walked down to her door, and raised his hand, but he couldn't bring himself to knock. He lowered his hand, and stared at the door with enough intensity to burn it down if that had been his power. He turned around, maybe he should go. Logan might still be watching that game.

After several minutes, Belle slogged herself up from the bathroom floor. Turning on the water, she relished in the cool feeling of the water against her flushed cheeks. With a few sips, she was feeling like a whole new person; unfortunately, twenty-four hours of straight driving also made her a very tired person. Heading out into the room, she lay down on the bed and sighed; even as tired as she was, sleep eluded her as she stared at the ceiling. She tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable spot but to no avail. With a heavy sigh, she sat up...maybe a good hot cup of tea and some crackers would help. Making her way to the door, she opened it to find Remy standing there; tears flooded her again and she launched herself at him, hugging him tightly, "I'm sorry, Remy," She cried plaintively, "I'm jus' tired, I didn' mean it, any of it."

Belle was suddenly there and wrapping herself around him like he was her port in the storm. He wanted to push her away, to yell at her and tell her to never talk to him again for all the hurtful things she had said to him. But, instead he found himself wrapping his arms around her and hugging her for all she was worth. "Shhh, Belle, its okay. Remy didn' mean t' be so cold, an' he never, ever wanted t' leave y'." He rubbed her back in a soothing manner and kissed the top of her head. "I still love y', chere."

Nodding against his chest, she sighed, "I ain' ready f' a relationship t' start jus' yet but," She swallowed hard, "Maybe we can start where we began, as friends?" This baby complicated things and, even though she loved him with all of her heart and he loved her back, she was still terrified. She wanted them to last, to be a family...but she had to know the relationship was for real before she told him the truth.

Remy smiled. "O' course, chere, friends is fine by Remy. T'ough, I will admit, Remy want not'in' more than to pick you up and ravage you on dat bed." He lifted her face toward his with one finger. "But Remy can handle friends. You hungry, chere? Remy can make somet'in' for y' to eat."

On second thought, maybe she wanted to be more than friends. Oh, who the hell knew? One minute she was cursing the day men ever came into existence and the next she wanted to take him right there on the floor in the hallway. Luckily, though, her one of her other baser instincts took over as her stomach rumbled, "Guess I could eat," she said with a laugh. "But Belle's tired, I drove a long way up here an' I didn' stop t' rest."

Remy could feel her stomach rumble as she was pressed against him. "Ok, Belle. Come on, de kitchen be on de firs' floor. Wha' y' feel like eatin', chere? Remy, he make y' anyt'in y' wan'." He didn't wait for her answer, as he grabbed her hand and started down the hall, toward the stairs, and to the kitchen.

"Dat's jus' 'bout what I wan, chere, anyt'ing." She laughed and rooted through the refrigerator. There was some pork chops...ooh, she could go for a couple of pork chops the way Remy liked to make them with garlic and olive oil, beans and maybe some of the leftover cake from somebody's birthday for dessert. "Make de pork chops, chere." She said and leaned back against the counter. It fascinated her how quickly he moved chopping and getting the porkchops into the pan. He was a fantastic cook, rivaling even the best chefs in New Orleans, at least in Belle's eyes. The smell of the food began to waft around the kitchen and she sighed dreamily; the baby was really going to enjoy this meal and so would she.

In a matter of minutes, it seemed, the meal was done. He grabbed one of the nicer plates and set everything up like a five-star restaurant. Once it was ready he placed the plate down on the island in the kitchen and smiled. "We got wine if y' wan' a glass, chere." He was already moving toward the cabinet where they kept the wine glasses, she never turned it down. And she had always liked a glass of wine with his porkchops.

Belle nearly jumped out of her skin, "Non!" Damn it, that was suspicious. Calming herself, she managed to shake her head calmly as she sat down at the table, "I been drinkin' too much of de spirits lately," She managed to get out without sounding desperate, "Besides, I wan' t' sleep tonight, an' we bot' know dat wine won' get dat accomplished." She winked suggestively and bit into the pork chop. It was just as delicious as it smelled, "Remy, dis' is de best meal Belle's had in a long time." She ate ravenously, finishing everything on her plate and going back for more, a true rarity for Belle who often ate very lightly.

Remy was very suspicious now. The not wanting wine he could believe, although he'd never seen it before. But her ravenous hunger, it was like she was eating for two or three people. And she packed it all away quite well. He turned back to her leaned against the cabinet behind him. "Belle, you wan' somet'ing else to drink den?" He wanted to know what was going on. Why had Xavier allowed her here...he couldn't think of any business Xavier would have with thieves and assassins; it would ruin his school and his reputation if it was ever found out. And her disheveled appearance earlier, her attitude, something wasn't adding up here.

Remy watching her was unnerving. Setting down her fork and knife, she shook her head. One thing she didn't have to pretend about was the extreme drowsiness she was feeling; she had shoveled down most of the food and now she was headed up to bed for a well deserved nap. Making her way over to him, she smiled, "Belle's goin' t' take a nap." She said and ran her hand down his chest, "If y' interested, y' can join me...but I warn y' Remy, I really jus' wan't' sleep." She wanted to sleep with his strong arms wrapped around her, his heart beating next to hers. Soon she'd tell him about the baby but for now she wanted it to be just the two of them. So much for friends…

Remy pushed his uncertainties aside and nodded. Sleep would be good. "Oui, Chere. Remy coul' take a nap wit' y'." _Keep y' hands t' y'self, Cajun. It's jus' sleep...wit'a beautiful blond next t' y'._ He smiled and took her hand, then threw it around his neck and picked her up. "We don' wan' y' fallin' down da stairs 'cause of y' tire'ness." He carried her up the stairs and to her room, where closed the door and set her down onto the soft mattress

Gasping, she held tight to him as he picked her up and carried her up the stairs. She was inordinately gentle and sweet...why had she been angry again? Almost as soon as her body rested on the soft mattress, the covers pulled up around her, Remy spooning against her and her head on the pillow, Belle was out like a light. Days, weeks, months of bad nights' sleep seemed unimportant. She cuddled against him and slept like an infant.

Remy smiled as her breathing evened out and become deep. He couldn't help himself and pulled her a little tighter in to his body. He watched her kissing her forehead. "Sleep well, chere. Remy be here when y' wake up," He whispered. With that, he rested his head against the pillow, and started to drift off into dreamland, which oddly enough was filled with images of him and her and what appeared to be six kids and a dog.

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**Bit of a shorter chapter this time, folks! Because the next one is super long and complicated ;).**

**Thanks for sticking with us!**

**Marina & James**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we are folks, everything you've been waiting for! Enjoy!**

**Then, review :D**

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Sounds of someone's stereo shook her from a dead sleep; she nearly cursed, she'd kill whichever thief or assassin had interrupted the first good sleep she'd had in **WEEKS**. But, wait...she wasn't in New Orleans anymore! Remy's heavy arms pressed against her waist made her jump in fear. No, he couldn't possibly feel the baby...he didn't even know about the baby, she wasn't far enough along yet to feel her child move within her...but he would notice that her waist had thickened. Contrary to popular belief, Remy was not a stupid man; dense at times, yes and certainly diluted when it came to people he loved, but his basic math was good: weight gain plus nausea plus increased appetite plus her coming here out of the blue equaled Belle was knocked up.

Sitting up, she pulled away from him slightly. Shockingly, all of her clothes were still on and, for once, she didn't feel like she had to vomit the second she woke up. Padding into the bathroom, she got herself a glass of water and made her way to the desk. He slept like an angel, she loved watching him sleep...when he was awake he went through a range of emotions with that lovely face of his, but in sleep he was calm, peaceful. She memorized every curve, every line of this face; she might not ever see it again after she told him of his impending fatherhood.

Remy was having a very nice dream at the moment. He and Belle were married, had a nice house in a very nice neighborhood in New Orleans, complete with dog and white picket fence. He was doing his thing at the grill, and Belle was running around the yard trying to keep track of their six kids. It was a nice dream indeed, odd that he'd have it considering he and Belle were barely on speaking terms…but nice nonetheless.

All of a sudden he felt cold. Like a nice source of heat had just up and walked away. His eyes wanted to open and the dream faded, but he tried so hard to keep them closed and drift off again. He didn't want to wake up to a world where Belle had banished him and wanted nothing to do with him. Sadly, he had to open them after several minutes, and what he saw made him wary. He was not in his bed, this was not his room, and he had the distinct feeling someone was watching him. He turned his head slowly, and realized the person watching him was Belle. Had she come to kill him for breaking her heart? Had the Destroy—oh, that's right, now he remembered. It all came flooding back. The last six weeks trying to find Scott, and Belle's sudden arrival at the mansion, the late night dinner he made, her asking him to sleep with her in an entirely platonic way. He let his head fall back to the pillow, "Morning, chere. What time is it?"

Smiling softly, she set the glass of water down, "Y' might wan't' be sayin' good afte'noon." She chuckled lightly and stood up, walking back to the bed. Running her fingers over his hair as if he were a young child, she wished that she had the courage to tell him about the baby. She really hated keeping this secret from him, it literally hurt to keep mum...but there were things she had to work out. "I haven' slept well since y' left," she said tenderly, "I like it better when y' sleep by my side."

Remy smiled and grabbed her hand in his. He brought it down from his head, kissed her palm and stretched. "Belle, got t' be kiddin'. Remy don' normally sleep till evening. Hope de Professor didn' plan on anyt'in' like briefin's, he might be upset Remy missed dem." He slowly got out of bed and scratched his belly, "Remy love sleepin' next t' y' too, chere. Y' hungry? Remy whip somet'in' up for y'."

Grasping his wrist, she shook her head, "Non, Remy." She didn't want to ruin this moment. Her stomach was still full from the last meal she had eaten. Belle believed that was why she hadn't woken up sick as she normally did; it was a valuable insight into morning sickness, from now on she'd be eating at more regular intervals. But right now, she needed to talk to him, "I got t' know if y' serious 'bout dis...'bout us."

Remy frowned and sat down on the bed again. "Belle, Remy ne'er been more serious 'bout anyt'ing in his life." He smiled warmly at her. "I only lef' 'cause de X-men, dey needed me, an' I owed dem. All dey done for me, rescuing dem was de least I could do." He was serious, the look in his eyes showed it. "I ne'er woul' 'ave lef' in de firs' place, but de guilds ran me out of N'Awlins. An' dis las' time, I 'ad e'ery intention of comin' back, 'till y' tol' Remy not t'."

Remy was a serious as they got, and that assuaged a lot of Belle's fears. But the point was, he did come in and out of her life a lot; more times than not they were apart than together. When they were together, things were hearts and flowers, sunshine and magic. When they were apart there was nothing but gloomy skies and heartache. "I don' wan' y' t' leave ever again," She said, her watery blue eyes flashing with pain, "I wan' y' t' be around forever an' a day. Can y' promise me dat?"

Remy reached over and pulled Belle onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "Belle, Remy got responsibilities to de X-Men, at leas' for a little while. Scott, de leader, he's out o' commission 'till he gets better. I got t' stay until he's back on his feet." He sighed and kissed her temple, and looked at her for a long moment, collecting his thoughts. Would it be so bad to go back to New Orleans, to continue with the life he'd had before he'd left? He loved the city, but all these years without it being a constant in his life had made his place there dull a bit. "When Scott's ready, if y' plan on goin' back t' New Orleans, Remy will talk t' Xavier. I'll try my best t' make it back to you, chere. Remy wan't' be wit' y' forever an' a day too."

Wrapping her arms around him, she held him tightly. "J'taime, chere, J'taime," she whispered over and over into his ear. She loved him with every fiber of her being and she wanted to believe that he would tell Xavier that he'd leave and come back to New Orleans as...what? Her live in lover or her husband, perhaps even to be her personal pool boy? No, he was happy here, she wanted him to be happy above all else. "We's got de time here, chere. I got Questa runnin' de Guilds for a while, I need a vacation I t'ink," she smiled. Yeah, a nice maternity leave from the Guilds. "I was hopin' we could spend it here, toget'er."

Remy smiled and hugged her fiercely, "J'taime Belle. Remy 'preciate you sayin' dat y'll stay here wit' him." She wanted to stay with him… he never thought in a million years that she'd say that, not after leaving. Especially after the last time he'd left, she had seemed so heartbroken; it had killed him to leave her like that. "Belle, even if de professor let Remy leave. Dere may be times, when deys need my help again. An' I'll give it to dem. But I wan' y' t' know, dat know matter what, Remy will always come back t' y', Chere. As lon' as Belle still wan' him, Remy will never stay gone again."

Words seemed to lose their meaning; how could she express her love so deeply when words seemed to mean so little? Oh, right, yeah...she leaned in, taking little sips of his mouth as he kissed her. Belle had not planned on this turning sexual but how could she show him she loved him otherwise? Their relationship had begun physically, and they'd spent many happy hours blissfully engaged this way. A thought struck before she moved in...What about the baby? Would he notice the slight swelling of her abdomen? Would sex hurt the baby? Damn it, now she wasn't in the mood anymore. Biting her lip, she pulled away, "Remy, Belle changed 'er mind, I'm really starved."

Remy laughed as she decided she really was hungry. He picked her up off his lap and set her down gently, then attempted to fix his hair, and tugged on his shirt like he was straightening a jacket. Remy's voice changed to an overly French accent that you would expect from the maître'd at an upscale French Restaurant. "Oui, oui Mademoiselle If y' will follow me, I'll show you to your table. What would de lady like to eat?" Now he was laying on the charm again. He had to admit, he was good at it. Perhaps it was a secondary mutant power of his, but it didn't matter. His charms made Belle happy, and that was all that mattered to him.

Giggling, she allowed him to lead her down in the kitchen. "Leftovers, Belle t'inks," She blushed. Those pork chops had hit the spot the way that no other food had in a long time...she was practically craving them. Shockingly, she also felt like she wanted to dip her pork chop in ketchup. Striding over the fridge she took out the pork chops and laid them on her plate...she didn't really feel like having them hot either. Squeezing a hearty dollop onto her plate, she dipped the pork chop in the ketchup and smiled, "Delicious!"

Remy's eyebrows shot up at seeing her eat cold pork chops with ketchup. This was not the Belle he knew. Something was not adding up here, first the overeating, then the refusal of wine, and now this. He could swear she also felt a little...thicker around the middle, but if she had been eating like this since he'd left, he didn't doubt she would be. It was probably nothing; Belle would have told him if it was important. Shaking his head, he pushed it to the back of his mind and smiled at her. "Belle wan' anyt'ing t' drink?"

Belle thought about it for a moment, "A glass of milk would be good." From the second she and Remy met, when they were but children, she'd never asked for milk. From thirteen on she drank wine or bourbon or water...that's how it went. But milk was good for pregnant women and she found that she preferred the creamy milk over the burn of bourbon...not to mention, she was limited to milk, juice, tea and decaf coffee for the next nine months.

Remy eyed her suspiciously for a second. That was a new development. He brought back up his mental list of things about Belle that didn't add up, and scribbled that one right there with the others. Then he turned to the fridge and opened it up. "I 'ope 2 is fine by y', chere. Dat's all we got," He pulled out the carton and a grabbed a rather large glass, then started pouring it. "Tell Remy when." It wasn't until the glass was nearly overflowing that she asked him to stop. He pushed the glass over to her and put away the milk carton. "Y' sure y' don' wan't' heat dose up, Belle?"

Belle smirked at the obvious disgust in his voice but she shook her head, "Non, dey're even better cold I t'ink." For a moment she wondered why she had even needed a test to tell her she was pregnant. What she had going on here was classic pregnancy, from the swelling of her breasts and abdomen, to the nausea and her strange cravings. The look of suspicion in Remy's eye told her that she wasn't going to be able to keep this from him for very long...nor did she want to, it was just complicated.

Remy waited till she was done, then collected up the dishes and set about washing them. "So, Belle, anyt'ing y' wan' t' see while y' in New York? Anyt'in' y' wan't' do tonigh'? Dere's Times Square, Empire State Building, Central Park, lots o' stuff t' do wit' ol' Remy." He smiled at her over his shoulder as he finished up the dishes and then put them away. He turned back to face her and chuckled. Pointing to a corner of his mouth he rubbed at it. "Y' got some ketchup righ' dere, chere."

Even though it was childish, she found herself blushing as Remy wiped a smear of ketchup off of her face. After she finished the last drops of her milk, she sat back and smiled, "Why don' y' show me de sights dat you like best." She wanted to know everything about the man that Remy had become; sure he had told her his happenings in New York but it was different than living through it with him. "I wan't' see it all wit' y'."

Remy smiled and glanced up at the wall clock over the doorway. He got a distant look as his mind tried to think of the schedule. "I t'ink deres a Broadway show in 'bout an hour, Belle. Dey calls it 'Rent'. Remy actually like it." He smiled, he remembered his first time seeing it; Jubilee had been trying to get Logan to take her to it and as much as Logan cared for his little ones, he wouldn't be caught dead watching a pansy-assed musical. So she had talked Remy into taking her to it; that had been a week before he'd had to go to New Orleans to help Belle. The plays usually stayed around for a while, so he wasn't worried about it not being there anymore. "Y' wan' t' go see it chere? Ot'erwise, we coul' always go t' Central Park, and take a romantic carriage ride." He eyes practically sparkled at the thought of getting Belle alone in a horse drawn carriage. It would be a perfect date for the two of them, providing she didn't want to see the show.

BellaDonna loved the idea of a show but with her morning sickness, she couldn't promise that she'd make it through the whole thing. Biting her lip, she remembered she had purchased some sea bands at a pharmacy on the way. Perhaps they'd work! "Let Belle take a quick shower an' change, it'll be quick." Leaning in, she kissed him chastely on the lips and headed to her room. The hot jets of the water made her feel like a brand new person; she didn't feel ill or tired, she felt...wonderful actually. She pulled her hair into a simple twist and opened up her suitcase...hmmm...what to wear. She pulled out a black dress, silk and ruffled along the length of her body; its neckline was a simple scoop, drawing attention to her swollen breasts but not overly so. Looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned; the dress was tight around her hips and around her abdomen. It seemed that her days of wearing a size two were going to be over very quickly. Still, for tonight it worked. She placed the anti-nausea band over her wrist, covering it over with a thick silver bracelet; no one would even notice. After one last once-over, she put on a pair of her favorite stiletto heels and made her way to Remy, "W'at do y' t'ink, 'ow does Belle look?"

Remy had taken her idea as his own, and ran up to his room, showered and got dressed. He was wearing a pair of fashionable black slacks, and black long-sleeved button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm. A pair of nice black biker boots, which he'd polished for such occasions, a simple silver cross necklace and a gunmetal watch completed his outfit. He'd even shaven most of his new facial off, leaving just a simple goatee and small mustache. A quick spray of some aftershave, and he was ready. He came out of his room at about the same time Belle came out of hers. He turned to her and he couldn't take his eyes off the sight of her hips swaying as she approached him. "Remy t'ink dat dress a bad idea, chere." His eyes lit with playing teasing as he continued, "You wear it an' Remy migh' not make t' de theatre. He migh' 'ave his way wit' y' in de back seat of de Ferrari."

Biting her lip, she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "I look dat good, eh?" Smirking, she took his hand as they made their way to the garage. "Y' don' look so bad y'self." And the understatement of the year goes to...BellaDonna Boudreaux! He looked like sex on a stick, she wanted to rip his pants off and fuck him hard against the wall, in the closet, on the bed, and, well, you get the picture. Heat suffused through her and she was forced to look away...what was wrong with her? Damn hormones, she was acting like a dog in heat! "I hope de show is as good as y' say, I'm lookin' forward t' de night out wit' no responsibility loomin' over my head."

Remy smiled widely, seeing the look in her eyes, like she wanted to have her way with him right there, made him want to call off the evening and spend it in bed. But he knew she was looking forward to this. "Remy promise y' like it, chere." Logan came up the stairs and stopped dead in his tracks, looking between the two, and was that jealousy Remy saw? He handed Remy a piece of paper and walked off. Remy's eyes scanned it and he grinned. "Damn telepat's, de professor called ahead and got us tickets reserved chere." How that man did it, Remy would never know, "Come, de Ferrari is waitin'' out front."

Belle nearly jumped out of her skin, "Telepat's?!" Had someone been reading her thoughts? Damn, if they were they were going to be picking up a whole bunch of sexual urges and the fear of telling Remy about his child. Grasping his arm, she looked around, almost afraid, "C'mon den, let's go." Driving in the city was horrendous, especially parking in the Broadway district. Luckily, after about twenty laps around the street, they got into a parking spot right in front of the theatre. It was aglow with lights, people lined up for miles...she'd never seen anything like it before. "It's...beautiful, chere. T'ank y," And she hadn't even seen the show yet.

Remy chuckled as they found a parking spot. Belle's earlier fear of a telepath was warranted; they did seem to know everything, all the time. But if she was going to stay for a while he wanted to assuage her fears. After opening her door for her, Remy held out a hand to help her out of the car, like any French gentleman would. He put his right arm around her waist and smiled again. "Chere, 'bout de telepat's. Y' don' need t' worry 'bout dem. Xavier, he's one o' dem, and he keeps de ot'ers under stric' rules. No readin' people's t'oughts wit'out permission an' such. De only time de know wha' y' don' wan' dem t', is when y' project, as dey call it. Only 'appens when y' got strong emotions runnin' an' y' don' keep dem in check, den dey can't help hearin' dem. It's 'ow Xavier knew I wan'ed t' take y' t' de show, I must 'ave been projectin' it, an' he did us a favor." Walking up to the ticket booth Remy smiled at the teenage girl—who obviously was working for gas money. "We got seats reserved, under de name Xavier." The girl smiled and prinited up their tickets then handed them to Remy. "You wan' any snacks 'fore we sit down?"

Belle didn't know she had been wearing her emotions so plainly! Pregnancy was having a huge effect on her already, she was almost afraid to find out how it would affect her next. "Dat makes me feel better," She said quietly as he drew her close to him and cut the entire line. They already had tickets; they didn't have to buy them. The feeling of his arm around the place where his child was growing made her a little edgy; did he notice the slight bulge? At the sound of snacks though, she smiled, "I'll get de seats, y' get Belle summat wit' chocolate in it." Never mind that the man was eternally trying to feed her since she was thirteen, now she actually had a reason to eat heartily and she was going to take full advantage. Besides, her sweet tooth seemed very active tonight. As he left her side, she made her way to the balcony that Xavier had reserved for them...it was a wonderful view, like nothing she'd ever seen before. The place was chock full of people, old and young, male and female; everything was perfect, the perfect end to a very strange day.

Remy kissed her before she headed off to their reserved seats. He smiled as he shook his head, something was up with her, and Remy LeBeau was determined to find out what it was. However, he wasn't going to let that nagging feeling in the back of his mind ruin the night. No, not tonight, for she was all his. He made his way to the snack bar and got an extra large soda, if she wanted a drink she'd have to share his, and a large box of chocolate malt balls. He then made his way to the balcony and sat down next to her. He passed the box over and within a few more moments, the lights dimmed, the curtain raised, and the show was on.

The show was spectacular, Belle couldn't believe how intricately the author had woven together the lives of many different people and on top of it the music was hauntingly beautiful. Although, after devouring the box of malt balls and drinking probably around three quarters of Remy's soda, it felt as if her bladder would explode. At intermission, she was quick to excuse herself; the bathroom attendant was friendly and Belle gave her a sizeable tip as she washed her hands. She felt good, for once, whether it was being with Remy, eating, the sea bands or a combination of all of it, she didn't know...but she hadn't felt this good in years. Making her way back, she sat down right as they dimmed the lights. The second half of the show was even _better_ than the first, if that were possible. By the end, Belle was bawling into Remy's shoulder as they gave the actors a standing ovation.

Remy understood the having to go to the bathroom during intermission, hell he had to too. So he quietly made his way to the men's room after Belle left, and beat her back to their seats. He shook his head as he waited for her, why did theatres need such nice bathrooms and an attendant? He could understand a five star restaurant, and maybe a fancy hotel, but a theatre? The mysteries of the universe. After Belle made it back just before curtain, the second half started. Remy enjoyed this play; it wasn't some hyped up fantasy. It was about a group of strangers trying to make a life for themselves in New York. It was very realistic, well if you took out the stage and all that. By then end, Remy had to lead Belle out of the theatre since she was crying after giving the actors a standing ovation. That was another weird thing to add to his list, her range of emotions. Sure there were sad moments in the play, and even some really sad ones at the end… but the continuing waterworks going on were kind of uncalled for. Remy made a mental note to question her about it later, "So, Chere. How did y' like de play?"

Sniffling, she smiled, "It was de best, Remy. T'ank y," She leaned in, kissing him softly on the lips; her kiss was salty from the tears. Putting her arms around his shoulders, they walked down past the crowds buying merchandise or using the bathroom again...it almost seemed like they were the only two people in the world. "It was a really nice evenin', chere. Belle 'ad fun."

Remy smiled and looked at his watch. The Central Park stables were still open, so carriage rides were still available, and the park was only 6 blocks down from where they were. Remy stopped and pulled Belle close, whispering in her ear, "Belle, come wit' me. The carriages are still goin', an' we can have a moonlit ride 'round de park." The huskiness of his voice suggested he very much wanted her alone in a dark carriage with nothing but the stars, the horses, and the park around them. "It be de only way Remy know to make a beautiful evenin' wit' de woman he loves, even more perfect."

A carriage ride around Central Park? It all sounded so romantic, "Oui, chere." She said, taking his hand. The night air was warm and thick, perfect for a walk. Slowly, she took his hand and entwined his fingers with hers as they walked; it was a waste to move the car for a mere six blocks. Besides, she could use the exercise. "Dis' night has been so special t' Belle," She said, looking over at him, "I jus' don' know w'at I did t' deserve y'."

Remy spun her around like a ballroom dancer and smiled as he feathered kisses on her mouth as they walked. "Chere, dis nigh' is de leas' Remy coul' do. Y' made Remy de 'appiest man in de worl' when y' came back int' his life. Y' always deserve' Remy, Remy jus' ne'er deserve' y'." He walked with her down to the main gate of Central Park and caught an empty white carriage with elaborate wood scroll work on the trim. A pair of big chestnut mares pulled the coach, and the driver wore a very nice suit with tail coat and a top hat. Remy paid the man for an hour long ride, and opened the small door for Belle, holding out his hand to help her up into the carriage. Once they were both in, he twirled his hands, showing that thieving skill of his, and produced a single rose which he'd obviously picked up at a street side flower shop during their walk. "For you Belle."

Tears welled in her eyes again and she couldn't stop smiling; luckily she hadn't been wearing any makeup or she would've looked like a horror movie by now with black lines down her face. Taking the rose, she entangled it in her hair; the delicate red rose stood out starkly against her white-blonde hair. Slowly, she ran her hand down his chest, feeling every contour of muscle; pregnant or not, she wanted him _badly_. If having sex was going to hurt the baby, it probably would've done it by now, right? Remy and she weren't exactly celibate and she had to have gotten pregnant while they were still going at it like bunnies. Reaching down, she let her warm palm come to rest on his thigh, "Chere, I t'ink we better go 'ome now."

Remy chuckled at the sound of her voice. Oh yeah, she wanted him. He leaned over and kissed her neck softly, then trailed kisses up to her ear. Once there, he started whispering sweet nothings in French into her ear. Another few minutes and the driver pulled the carriage to a stop. Remy reluctantly pulled away from Belle and offered her his hand once he was down from the carriage, "Oui, chere." He grinned at her with a fiery passion. "Remy t'ink it be time to go 'ome an'...turn in for de evenin'."

Oh yeah, it was time to turn in, over, under, inside out...she wanted him hard and fast, wherever they landed first. She didn't care if it was in the back of the car or in the garage or in the shower, she just wanted him inside of her right now. The car ride seemed to be the longest of her life, longer even than the twenty-four hour trip up here! She was careful not to touch him while driving...if she touched him, she would jump him and she couldn't have that in the middle of city traffic. As soon as he pulled into the garage and he killed the engine though, he was fair game. Grabbing him roughly, she slammed to lips to his, straddling him across the front seat. She needed this, she needed him.

Remy was a little shocked when she damn near smothered him in the car. The engine hadn't even been off for ten seconds before she was all over him. Then again, he wasn't about to complain if she wanted him right now. Reaching around her to the under side of the seat, he hit a little switch and seat shifted back as far as it would go, so they wouldn't be cramped. He then started trailing kisses over her upper body while his hands followed a distinct path to show her how much they missed her.

Belle struggled blindly, her dress was off and thrown across the passenger seat, her heels had come off somewhere and she didn't remember how, but her panties were completely gone. She had never been so aroused or so desperate in her entire life. The buttons on Remy's shirt went flying in a hundred different directions as she ripped it off of him...damn, another shirt she'd have to replace. Smelling his skin and his lips over her face, shoulders and breasts made her whimper. Struggling with his pants, she arched herself over him; tonight, she would be on top...there didn't seem to be any other way to do it.

Remy grinned as she frantically went about the task of undressing him. Damn, this woman was a wild cat when she was turned on. When she had finally rid him of his pants and boxers, and had apparently resigned herself to being on top, it was game on. He moaned into her lips when she lowered herself onto him and he reveled in the feeling of her all around him. "J'taime, chere."

It took some maneuvering, but she managed to seat herself over him and press his hardened length inside of her. As uncomfortable as it may have looked, it felt like pure rapture to Belle, who was so sexed up at the moment that she couldn't even think clearly. At the sound of his 'I love you', she ground her hips against his, panting heavily, "J'taime, Remy." She wanted this, she wanted him. Pressing herself harder against him, she found comfort in the fact that his hands came up against her waist to steady her. Their child was budding and forming right between his hands, deep within her, and she wanted to share that with him. All of it was his for the taking.

Remy was in heaven right now. He was with the woman he loved more than anything, though he felt bad about having taken other women into his bed when he and Belle were separated. He didn't have the willpower to resist the temptations of the flesh like she did, at least when she wasn't with him. Now that they were together again, that wouldn't be a problem. He wanted to give her everything he had, and he could feel everything he had building up with steady pressure. He wanted to hold out, to take her over the edge with him, he just hoped she tumbled over that edge soon, or he was going to go before she did. He could feel her tightening, and then he was gone, his seed pouring deep inside her, luckily she was on top so she wouldn't have to worry about him losing the strength to go on.

Working herself to a furious pace, she felt his veins pulsing inside of her until warmth burst into her. Maybe for the first time in her life, Remy had orgasmed before she did...but she was not far behind. Her body exploded in wave after wave of orgasm, causing her to cry out and rest against him. She wasn't sad, but tears poured from her cheeks; she was so deliriously happy, nothing could possibly ruin this moment.

Once again Remy was whispering in French in her ear, soothing, loving words to let her know how much she meant to him and how happy he was that she had come back to him. His hands kept running smoothly over her bare back and he leaned up to kiss her passionately. "De t'ings y' does t' me, Belle. J'taime." After a few more minutes, Remy reached over and grabbed her dress. "We better get inside, before de ot'ers come back from dere nightly activities."

Grasping his hand, she shook her head, "Non, Remy, wait a minute." Her heart was pounding in her throat, and not just from the delicious orgasm he had given her. She kissed all five of his fingers, "Dere's summat dat I 'ave t' tell y' firs', chere." Fear built inside of her, replacing the passion that had stirred her only moments before.

Remy pulled her to him after seeing the worried look in her eyes. He hugged her and kissed the side of her face before pulling back to look at her. Was she finally going to explain all the weird things that had been happening recently? He hoped so; he just needed to make sure she knew he loved her. "Belle, wha' y' need t' tell Remy? Wha'e'er it be, chere, its ok. Remy loves y'. Wha's wrong?"

Even in the murky light of the garage, it was obvious there was a gentle swell to her belly; now, staring down, feeling it, she knew it was there. And Remy must've noticed her breasts were heavier, he was, after all, a breast man— born and bred. But he was also a man, and men tended not to see the obvious unless it smacked them in the face. Well, needless to say, it was about to smack Remy LeBeau in the face. "Not'ings wrong, chere," She said, hesitating. How did one go about saying she was currently enceinte? Was there a proper way of doing it? If there was, she certainly hadn't been apprised of it. "Well, Remy," She said, her fear reaching a peak, "Belle's pregnant."

Two little words, just two. That's all it took to shake the foundation of Remy's world and turn everything upside down. His eyes slowly widened and he pushed her back a little, his eyes dropping right to her belly. He could see it now, the slight curvature to her stomach, the increase in the size of her breasts. "P...Pregnant?" Shock flowed freely onto his face as he tried to reign in his brain. His thoughts were everywhere. And then like that, a light switch being turned on, the clues fell into place. The eating habits, the no alcohol, the emotions, her sudden appearance. "Belle...y' pregnant." And the award for Most Obvious goes to…Remy LeBeau for his outstanding observational skills.

"Dat's w'at I said, chere." He was in shock and damn it, she couldn't blame him. Shock was good compared to other emotions, like anger or disgust...but she wanted him to be happy about this, as happy as she was. Slowly, she disentangled herself from him, taking extreme caution not to bump her belly against the clutch or anything else in the way. Running her hands through her blonde hair, she replaced the dress she had been wearing; there was a long rip in the bodice but she didn't care, the dress wouldn't fit her for much longer anyway. Finally, the silence got to her, "Remy," she whispered, "W'at are y' t'inkin'?"

Remy had been off in his own little world for a minute. He was imagining his dreams from the night before. Him and Belle with their own little house, a dog, six kids and a white picket fence. Now that could come true. They were already having one…only five more, a dog, and a house with a fence to go. Professor Xavier could help with what Belle and Remy couldn't provide. Belle's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked at her for a moment and then a huge smile broke across his face, and he pulled into a soul searing kiss. When he pulled back a smug smile plastered across his face and he spoke into her ear. "Remy t'inks we got to get y' t' see Hank in de morning. Need t' make sure my Belle, and my baby are goin' t' be jus' fine."

Throwing her arms around him, she kissed his face over and over, "I was so 'fraid dat y'd be angry wit' me, dat y' wouldn' want dis' baby." For what felt like the billionth time today, tears ran down her cheeks, "I'm so 'appy, I don' know w'at t' do or t' say." Sobbing against him, she rested her head on his chest. They were solid, everything was going to be fine and they'd be a little family, just her, Remy and the baby.

BellaDonna relished in the euphoric feeling as he swept her up and carried her up the stairs. She might have protested more, saying that she was merely pregnant, not incapable of walking up the stairs...but his lips on hers and the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around her made her calm and relaxed. After changing into pajamas, Belle curled up next to Remy, his arm draped gently over where their child slept within her. Soon, Belle and Remy were sound asleep, in dreamland again, knowing that their visions of a child were not a distant yearning, but a reality.


	7. Chapter 7

BellaDonna was not sure she liked Hank's chunky blue fingers on her slightly rounded abdomen. Now, at this point, it seemed like she had gained weight there from eating too much of the delicious food that Remy was practically jamming down her throat. This morning she had told him in no uncertain terms that she was eating for two, not the entire lineup of the New Orleans Saints. Still, she had ended up sated and had finished everything on the plate. So who actually won the argument? She'd never know.

Now, she was lying on a long medical examination table while a man she didn't know drew blood from her arm, prodded her belly, and asked her about a million different questions: When was her last period? Was she experiencing morning sickness? Had she felt any cramping? Was she eating right? The man now knew things about her body that she had never even thought of. Besides, what did regular bowel movements have to do with giving birth to a child? But the man insisted, telling her that every bit of information could help her deliver safely and, God willing, quickly.

She'd been given some orange juice to drink after the blood had been drawn from her and now it felt as if her bladder was going to pop. All the better, it seemed, because the ultrasound required the utmost discomfort. The gel was freezing against her belly and the thick white wand was no walk in the park either. As he pressed down a gentle swishing seemed to fill the room, it moved quickly but was strong...Belle almost didn't believe it when Hank told them that the strange noise was their baby's heartbeat. Squeezing Remy's hand, she smiled; their baby was strong, just like his or her parents.

Remy watched everything with a detached curiosity of someone who was extremely happy he wasn't in Belle's place. She didn't look the least bit comfortable through the whole procedure. It made him smile though, knowing that the reason they were doing all of this was because they were having a baby together. That thought alone made Remy want to run up to the common areas of the house, grab the nearest student and start dancing around the house, then take everyone out for drinks. He was happy enough that it didn't matter to him. And he couldn't help but laugh at the memory of Belle trying to scold him for feeding her so much, all the while eating everything Remy had put on her plate. He knew it made her feel better to say what she did, but he also felt as if he had won the argument; after all, she did eat everything on the plate. And she would at lunch, too.

When the sound of the baby's heartbeat, at least that's what Hank had said it was, filled the examination room, Remy squeezed Belle's hand in return. He felt a huge swelling of pride in his chest; this was his baby that had a strong heartbeat. He leaned over a pressed a chaste kiss, as that's all they could do with Hank in the room, to her lips and smiled at her. "Dat's de soun' of our baby, Belle. J'taime." He ran a hand through her hair and looked up at Beast, a sudden question popping into his mind. " 'Ank, Remy was wonderin', do y' know if de baby is a boy or a girl?" Remy knew nothing of the process of babies growing in the womb, so he knew nothing about when it would be possible to tell. Like every expectant father, he wanted to know right now, so he could go out buy sport gear for his son or a stuffed pony for his daughter, even if they weren't due for months now.

The sex of the baby? Could that be determined already? BellaDonna found that she didn't care if the baby was a boy or a girl, she'd be happy to have either. It might be nice to know what color clothes to be buying though. She listened intently as Hank gave his diagnosis, "I'd say it's still too soon to determine the sex. If Miss Boudreaux is correct and you conceived in the beginning of April, that puts her pregnancy at about eleven weeks. Usually we can determine the sex of the child by eighteen or twenty," He explained with a smile.

BellaDonna nodded, "I t'ink we can wait f' seven more weeks, non?" They'd have forty, according to Hank; waiting a simple seven wouldn't be anything too difficult. She loved that Remy was excited about this, though; of all the things she had expected while coming down here, this attitude was nothing but a prayer. Hank began to point out that she needed to be taking prenatal vitamins and she should apprise him of any changes in health. Finally, it seemed like hours later, he released her and she was able to run to the bathroom; that left Hank and Remy alone for several minutes.

Remy spent several minutes talking to Hank about what sorts of foods he should avoid feeding to Belle, as he was certain that very spicy ones might upset the baby. After a grueling question and answer session, Remy turned the talk to more mundane things, like hockey. Of all the hobbies that Remy imagined Hank having, watching hockey with Logan was not one of them. But the blue furred mutant was indeed a huge hockey fan and so they delved into a topic of the pros and cons of rooting against the Detroit Red Wings this season. After Belle came out, Remy entwined his hand with hers, waved good bye to Hank, and dragged her upstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, he planted a long kiss to her lips. "I been wantin' t' do dat since I 'eard de baby's heartbeat."

Thank Lord Almighty Jesus in Heaven...she had never been so happy to see a toilet in her entire life. Many of the things she had taken advantage of in her life, now seemed like the very richest of possessions; things like toilet bowls, pickles and elastic waistband pants were now her very best friends. The oldest of her friends, though, was Remy of course…but the way he devoured her with his kisses, he wasn't feeling just friendly today. "J'taime," she whispered as he drew her into his arms. "Dat was pretty amazing, de baby's heartbeat," She said, smiling. "I never t'ought I could love anyt'ing like dis' before.'Course I love y' Remy but dis' baby I..." She struggled for the words. "I can't explain de feelings."

Remy silenced her with another kiss and pulled back. "Den don't bot'er tryin' t' explain dem, chere. Remy know what Belle is talkin' 'bout, he feels de same way." He smiled lovingly and then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small metal band; it was, more specifically, the ring she had thrown at him when he had left New Orleans the second time. "Belle, I was wonderin', if y' wanted t' 'ave dis ring back." The looks his eyes could say everything for him, and held an air of hope that she would say yes.

Tears welled in her eyes as he reached into his pocket and pulled out her wedding and engagement ring. Oh, she had missed them so much; when Remy had left her the first time she used to wear them to remember. The only reason she had taken them off was because she hadn't wanted Remy to see her wearing them when he came back. Grasping them, she threw her arms around him, kissing him several times on the cheek; tears slipped down her face, clinging to her skin and his as she slipped them back on her finger, "Remy, are y' askin' Belle t' marry y' again?"

Remy—as surprising as it was—blushed when Belle asked him to clarify his offer. He smiled and looked into her eyes for a long moment and then nodded. "Oui, chere. Remy t'inks dat wit' de baby an' y' bein' here wit' him, dat he missed y' somet'in' terrible when y' weren't around. He just ne'er realized it 'fore." He dropped down to one knee in front of her and kissed the ring she had just placed back on her finger. "I don' wan' t' feel dat lonely again, and I know y' don' eit'er. So, BellaDonna Boudreaux, will y' marry me…again?"

Their first engagement had gone something like: I'll marry you because my papa said so and you're damn good in bed. Their love had seemed to be young love, easily tossed away to him…but Belle, she always loved him truly, deeply. But this was the real deal for him; Remy LeBeau was a smiling, blushing fool on his knees in the middle of a hallway, asking her to be his wife...again. How could she say no? "I t'ink dat can be arranged," She said, pulling him up to hold him in her arms. "'Course I'll marry y' chere!"

Remy grabbed her, albeit gently, around the waist. He hoisted her into the air, kissing her fervently, and spun her in slow circles. He then laughed as he lowered her back to the ground; taking care to make sure she rubbed against him so she could..._feel_...how happy he was. "Belle, y' 'ave no idea how 'appy y' make dis ol' Cajun." His thoughts then turned to serious matters, as if marriage wasn't serious enough. "I'll go w'ever y' want, chere, back to N'Awlins if dat is what y' want. Jus' let me know as soon as y' decide where y' want t' live, so I can make arrangements wit' de X-Men if I 'ave t'." He hated to bring this up and spoil the moment, but the sooner this was dealt with, the better. After all, it wouldn't do to get married, and up and leave the X-Men to fend for themselves without letting them know ahead of time.

Spinning the pregnant woman...not a good idea. Once he set her down it took her almost a full minute to recover from the nausea; it did pass though, just in time to hear him proclaiming that he'd go where she wanted. "Well, chere," Belle said quietly, "Nobody in N'Awlins knows about dis'...dey can't know." It might be difficult for her to explain to an outsider but Remy knew the dangers of being seen as a weak leader. "If dese Assassin an' T'ieves get de idea dat I'm not strong 'cause of de baby, it could be de end of Belle _an'_ de baby."

Remy completely understood what she was saying. He remembered too well the lifestyle of those in the Guild. For new members, it was always trying to procure favor with the older members, and the older members where always looking for ways to advance their standing within the Guilds. "If y' wan' t' stay 'ere till after de baby is born, chere, dat won' be a problem." His eyes lit with something akin to anger at the idea of the Guilds trying to harm Belle and their baby. "But if y' wan' t' go back t' N'Awlins, Remy'll be dere, righ' by y' side. Any o' t'ose t'ieves or assassins t'inks dey can 'arm y' or de baby, dey ne'er met an angry Gambit. Dey wan' t' get t' y', dey got t' go t'rough Remy. An' I don' t'ink deys will 'ave forgotten what happened t' Bruno when he tried t' git his 'ands on y'."

Belle didn't want to think about Bruno today; she was deliriously happy. All she wanted to do was gather Remy into her body and show him exactly how happy he made her feel. Hank had said, after all, that sex was fine if she wasn't spotting or cramping badly afterwards. This talk of the guilds, though, cooled her mood quickly, "I t'ink I'd like t' stay here until de baby is born, at least. Dat way, we'll know everyt'ing will be fine an' we'll be safe." Pressing her hand to her abdomen, she knew that only two people in the entire world mattered: Remy and this child.

Remy smiled and kissed her softly. His hands roamed up her sides and over her hips as he pulled back. "Well, dat's good t' know. Now, enough 'bout de Guilds." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and let his hands do some work of their own, trying to elicit the moan from her that meant she wanted him right then. "How 'bout Remy show y' just how happy y' make him? An' show y' dat only y' an' dis baby matter t' him anymore."

In the middle of the afternoon he wanted to go at it? Well, it wasn't like Belle to turn down a mid afternoon romp; besides, it wasn't like she was going to get pregnant or anything. She rubbed her body against him as she kissed him long and hard on the mouth. This was good, Hank had recommended she get some exercise everyday and then after their workout, they could eat some lunch. Reaching up, she sucked gently on his earlobe before whispering, "Why don' we take dis somewhere more...private?"

Remy quickly swept Belle up into his arms and carried to his room. "I t'ought y'd ne'er ask. Y' sure y' not a telepat'? Y' seem t' be readin' Remy's mind lately." He was teasing her now, and the quick nip he gave her lower lip after he spoke, gave it away. He kicked the door shut behind them, elbowed the light switch so the lights would come on, and then set her on the bed. Remy let his eyes wander over her still clothed body, which didn't bother him since he'd seen her without the clothes enough times to know exactly what she looked like underneath them. "Y' more beautiful den e'er, Belle. An' dat's 'ard t' do, seein' as y' was a goddess before." He smiled at her and then suckled her neck lightly.

Lovemaking with the lights on was something that BellaDonna usually disliked. But today, she wanted all of their movements, motions and expressions out in the open. She reveled in the passion blazing in Remy's eyes as he caressed her body and brought her to the brink of insanity with his ministrations. Even as he spilled into her and they lay entangled on the bed, there was still a piece of him inside of her. It gave her great joy to know that once again she had a family; and this family was all hers, to have and to hold forever.

* * *

It wasn't that Belle was a traditionalist or she wanted to spend the night parted from the love of her life, but she had some good old New Orleans superstition in her; Remy was NOT to be seeing his bride before the wedding and that was final. She awoke in a cold bed, frowning, but once she remembered that it was her wedding day, a smile spread across her face. She snuck down to the kitchen, finishing up a large piece of steak with a side of toast and some fruit salad. Her tastes had been changing lately, she found herself craving the strangest things...at one point after last week's prenatal appointment she had been craving lamb and codfish with a side of French fries smothered in pickle relish. Where did that come from? Well, don't ask Belle, she was just as baffled as you are.

Showering quickly, she set her hair in curlers and put on one of the dresses she had brought with her from New Orleans. She found much to her dismay, that it was extremely tight around her breasts and clung to her ever-expanding belly. Even so, it was the only white dress she owned, a lacy thing that had a V-neck and little spaghetti straps. Though it wasn't the fluffy, expensive wedding dress she had on her first wedding, it was beautifully simple...and they needed simple now.

Hank had volunteered to take her over to the judge's office so she wouldn't have to drive. Scott sat quietly in the back seat, his face still slightly sunken in from malnutrition and dotted with healing bruises; Belle didn't find him all that friendly but if Remy liked the man, she wouldn't go out of her way to pick at him. Scott had been through a terrible ordeal, after all. It seemed to take hours but finally they were parked and heading into Judge Hathaway's office, the woman who had agreed to marry them...again.

Remy was already waiting. He'd taken his time in the morning with getting ready in his room, as Belle still clung to those New Orleans superstitions about the bride being seen by the groom before the wedding. He put on a simple black suit with white button-down shirt and black tie. After wards he had made his way to the kitchen for breakfast, and made sure there was food in the fridge for Belle. Then he'd hopped into his car, the Audi that Xavier had graciously given him as a wedding present, and drove over to the courthouse. He was waiting inside when Belle, Scott and Hank arrived. Remy smiled as Scott made his way to take a seat in the front, and Hank walked Belle up to Remy's side. Remy knew the man meant well by making sure she didn't have any fainting spells, but he couldn't help but remember Belle being walked up the aisle during their first wedding. When Belle arrived by his side Remy kissed her hand and whispered, "Y' look beautiful, chere."

Belle wasn't even through the door when she began to blush. Although Hank was nothing more than her doctor and potential midwife, she felt happiness bursting in her chest when he walked her down the little aisle and placed her hands in Remy's. "T'anks," she whispered and turned to the judge. She was a severe little woman, her grey hair pulled back in a tight bun; much to Belle's dismay, she reminded her of Tante Mattie...not one of Belle's favorite people.

Staring into his dark, beautiful eyes, she blushed. "W'en t'ings went bad, in N'Awlins de firs' time, chere, I t'ough dat I would die wit'out y'." Maybe it wasn't the best beginning to her wedding vows, but she wanted it to mean something when she finished, "But 'ere y' are again, we're toget'er forever now, an' dere ain' nothin' an nobody dat can take y' away from me again." Love bubbled up within her, "It'll be y' an' me an' our baby for de rest of our lives."

When Remy's turn arrived, he dropped the smile to show he was serious, and spoke in firm but loving tones. "Belle, I loved y' since de day we first was toget'er. I ne'er stopped lovin' y', an' y' know I ne'er would 'ave left y' if it had been possible t' stay. But y' know all dat. In my heart and soul, y' are de fire dat gives me life. You make life wort' livin', an' if I get t' spen' de res' o' my life by y'r side, den no matter wha', it was a life with meanin'. J'taime, chere. Wit' all dis Gambit's heart, J'taime."

Belle lurched forward, grabbing him and kissing him hard until the judge got fed up and pronounced them man and wife. Wrapping her arms tighter around him, "J'taime, Remy, f' now an' f' always." With papers signed and dated and with their rings back on their fingers, Belle and Remy were once again Monsieur et Madame LeBeau. Soon they'd be a happy little family of three...and who knew? Maybe someday they'd even be that family of eight that Remy always wanted.

Remy smiled and kissed Belle back with a fervent passion. When they were all done (after several coughing fits from the back of the chapel) Remy hugged Scott and Hank, thanked them for their help, and then led Belle out to the car. He still hadn't told her about it, Xavier had only given him the keys the day before. And knowing how she loved her BMW, Remy was certain she'd be jealous that Remy was driving a car worth almost twice as much as hers. "Dere's somet'in' Remy want t' show y' Belle. Xavier, besides givin' Remy time off f' our...alone time...he gave Remy anot'er present f' de weddin'. Registered t' Monsieur Remy LeBeau et Madame BellaDonna LeBeau." He pulled the switchblade key out his pocket and led her around the corner to the car which was shiny midnight black with cool tan leather interior and chrome trimming. "Remy tol' de Professor 'bout Belle's love f' nice cars, so he t'ought dis woul' be a fittin' present."

Belle hadn't been expecting any actual wedding gifts and the shock of receiving one so lavish from a man she barely knew made her nearly stumble from the shock. Grasping onto Remy, she stared at the gorgeous car, "Mon dieu, dis is OURS?"

Remy smiled and chuckled as he unlocked the car and helped her in. "Oui, Belle. De Professor, he's a very giving man. 'Specially when it comes t' t'ings like weddin's, births, an' birthdays. He wan's e'eryone t' feel special an' t' recieve some o' de joys o' growin' up de way he did. He e'en gives all de X-Men an' t'eir families credit cards wit' no limit." He smiled and closed the door, then went around and sat in the driver's seat. After plugging the key into the ignition slow, a small computer panel popped up with touch screen numbers from zero to nine. Remy pinned in four digit code and then hit a button marked start, and the car started right up. "De code t' unlock de security system, is y' birthday."

If he hadn't helped into the car, she probably would've flopped right on the ground. This man, Xavier, must've had enough money to be using hundreds as toilet paper if he did all of that for his associates. "I'll be writin' de man a nice long t'ank y' note when we get back 'ome." She had called it home...no, New Orleans was her home, always was and always would be. She noticed as he pulled out, they weren't heading back to the mansion. Looking over at him, she folded her arms, "Where we goin' chere?" Remy was all about surprising her; he lived for it...Belle, however, was far more cautious. She rarely enjoyed a surprise but in this case, she knew she was going to like it.

Remy tried to look innocent and hide his grin, but his excitement gave him away. He looked over at Belle and kissed her hand, then held onto it as they continued to drive, he refused to answer. After an hour they pulled up to a very large gate which kept them out of a very large estate looking mansion. At the gate was a simple box and after Remy entered their registration code, the gate slid back. At the main building Remy got out and a valet opened the door for Belle. "Welcome to La Maison de Paradis," the valet greeted them in an overly fake French accent. The building was surrounded by a large lawn and further out, woods. Guests rode by on horses, or walked by in swimsuits. They all looked to be the very crème de la crème of society. Remy handed the man a slip of paper and a hundred dollar bill. There bags were taken out of the trunk and Remy quickly checked them in. "Another of Xavier's gifts...a four day weekend f' us, in a very elite resort. Dey 'ave everyt'ing dat you could want 'ere."

Unbelievable! BellaDonna had heard about this place on the radio one time, movie stars went here to relax, not regular women like her and certainly not Remy LeBeau...if he had a dime to his name, she didn't know about it. After his excommunication, he had been sent away as poor as the day they found him. It was all so much to take in, she was grateful that Remy's arms were holding her tightly as they checked in and were shown to a giant suite, complete with a bed that might fit the entire Assassins Guild, it's own hot tub, walking distance to the pool, a bathroom that might be mistaken for a small island and various amenities that she just couldn't believe. "It's beautiful," She whispered, kissing Remy on the cheek, "Even wit'out de fancy car or de pretty hotel, even if we was de poorest people in de world, I'd still love y' chere." Maybe she didn't have to say it, but she wanted to. Kicking the door shut with her heel, she smiled, "W'at d' y say we christen dat bed?"

Remy grinned and pushed her gently to the bed, all the while kissing her. "I was 'oping you'd say dat." He then pushed her over so she was flat on her back, and made a show of taking off her shoes. His hands glided up her calf and over her dress, running over as much of her as he could get them on. They moved up to her shoulders and slowly pulled down the straps of her dress, and then dove into it from the top. He leaned his head over and kissed her passionately.

Belle only hoped their baby would be baptized as thoroughly as she and Remy christened the bed. For hours upon hours they stayed in bed, drawing one another into martial bliss time and time again. They probably could've gone for several days like that, just making love until they passed out...but unfortunately, Belle was pregnant and by the time they were done, she was thoroughly ravenous. Passion or not, they still had to think of the child growing inside of her. Soon, night fell and so ended their first day as man and wife, the first of many.


	8. Chapter 8

First it had been five or ten pounds, nothing to worry about...but fifty pounds later, with BellaDonna likening herself to a beached whale. This was beyond anything she'd signed up for. Hank had told her first pregnancies were notoriously late, but she had been pregnant for forty-one weeks, she was ready to get this little person OUT OF HER! She waddled when she walked, her clothes didn't fit, she was so damn glad that it was January because with the way she sweat at night, the summer would've killed her.

Friday rolled around with a vengeance, BellaDonna had woken up with yet another backache. Remy, of course, was still sleeping. And damn that man, he continued to sleep like an angel while she struggled to get ANY rest whatsoever at night. She was huge, she felt wholly unattractive and this was not going on any longer. Despite the fact that he was still snoring lightly, tucked at her side, BellaDonna gave Remy a shove. She'd tried EVERYTHING the book had said: tea, meditation exercises, and good thoughts about the baby...it was last resort time. "Remy, git y' ass up righ' now because dis' kid is comin' outta me t'day if its de last t'ing I do!" She yelled and flicked the blankets off of him. Damn, she couldn't wait for this pregnancy to be _over_.

Remy was having a wonderful dream, like all of his had been since Belle had shown up at the mansion. He was twirling his kids around the yard and messing with the grill, while Belle was busy running around trying to keep them all in order. He sighed contentedly before the covers were pulled off of him, he was shoved rather hard, and Belle's rather frustrated voice pulled through the fog of the dream. Remy grunted and slowly opened his eyes. Immediately he sat bolt upright and looked to Belle, not having fully heard what she said, "What is it, Belle? Is de baby coming? Do I nee' t' call Hank?" He was already up and out of bed running around to try and grab things in his frantic state, thinking she had started labor already. He tried to grab a shirt, which he held in his mouth, while holding Belle's overnight bag in one hand and trying to put his pants on with the other. He very comically fell over face first and grunted, while everything he was holding went flying. Slowly he started to pull himself to his feet while looking over at Belle, who appeared to be slightly peeved…well, okay, she was rip-roaring mad.

Folding her arms over her swollen breasts, she frowned, "Non, chere. De baby isn' comin now but y' got Belle inta dis' mess y' damn well gunna get her out!" Sitting up was difficult, but she managed to do it, resting both her hands on her swollen belly, she looked him straight in the eye. "Chere, I love y' but right now Belle's pretty damn angry wit' y'." Pointing her finger at him, she shook her head, "I've tried everyt'ing t' get dis' baby out but I read in de book dat sometimes sex helps de baby come naturally since 'Ank won' use drugs f' another week!" Sighing, she looked down; she was extremely large, Remy hadn't touched her in weeks and she was definitely feeling like someone's used waste. "So do dis' f' y' baby girl, oui?"

Remy sighed as he finally pulled himself to his feet, looking at the noticeably upset Belle. He knew Hank had told them that sex was alright, as it was some form of exercise and wouldn't hurt the baby, but Remy was still worried. That's why he hadn't touched her in weeks, it had nothing to do with her looking like she was trying to steal a blown up beach ball. In fact, he found the image of her pregnant with his child to be highly erotic, and it was only through great exercise of his willpower that he didn't ravage her on an hourly basis. He could tell by the look in her eyes though, that it hurt her and so he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Belle, Remy can tell when y' feel hurt. I know dat you feel like y' ain' pretty, chere, but y' are. Y' more beautiful now den e'er 'fore." He slowly lifted his other hand to her belly and started to rub small circles. After a moment he kissed her full on the lips gently, to show her he didn't think she was ugly like this, and his hand on her belly slowly made it's way to her breasts, rubbing over first one nipple then the other.

It had been very painful that Remy stopped wanting to have sex, mostly due to the fact that he lived off sex. Remy could starve for weeks but if he had a warm, willing woman then he'd survive it! The fact that he was holding back made her feel like the most disgusting woman to ever live. He hadn't told her that he decided to stop because of his own strange ethics. Hearing that he thought she was beautiful and that he wanted her made her feel almost instantly better; despite the nagging backache and the swollen ankles, she was feeling fine. The first brush of his hand against her protruding abdomen made her moan; she loved the feel of his rough palms on the sensitive flesh there. A cry resonated from her throat into his mouth as his hands went to her breasts; they had become so sensitive with the pregnancy that the mere touch of them nearly sent her crashing over the edge. Kissing him hungrily, she relished in the lust and love she felt for him now as they lay here, their child between them, waiting to be born.

Remy smiled into the kiss and ran his other hand which had been around her shoulders, over her back in soothing circles, working an impromptu massage of her sore muscles into the foreplay. It wasn't a very deep massage, as he didn't want to hurt her, but it was enough to try and ease some of the pain and stiffness she felt. Remy's kiss deepened and he ran his hand under her night shirt and up to move over her breasts with nothing between his calloused hand and her soft tender flesh. He gave a very light pinch and pull, and then ran more circles over them with his thumb.

Arching her head back, she continued to kiss him. This could be their last night as Remy and Belle...by tomorrow they'd be Remy, Belle and baby, God willing. Her hands went to his back and she gently brushed her nails against the skin there. Whatever he was doing to her breasts, by god she was going to explode and soon. Groaning, she whimpered, hoping he'd make her, finish her before they ran out of time.

Remy's voice, husky and filled with lust, whispered lightly against her ear as he whispered into it, "Belle, chere, tell Remy w'at y' wan'. Tell Remy w'at will make Belle feel good." After his words, he lightly nibbled on her ear and sucked the lobe into his mouth. "J'taime, chere. Tell Remy what he wants t' know."

The word, those words and his hands continually kneading and pressing against her breasts made Belle nearly delirious with passion. Breathing heavily, she entangled her fingers with his hair, "De book says dat puttin y' mouth on dem works..." And she was not about to argue with good advice like that. Groaning again, she met his eyes, "Please, chere," she whispered.

Remy smiled and broke his contact with her long enough to lift her night shirt over her head and away. He set it lightly aside, in case this worked, and they needed to hurry down to the med lab. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her swollen breasts, he was a breast man after all, and a moment later his head moved slowly closer to her right breast. He stopped mere inches from his goal and blew cold air across the puckered nub, just seconds before taking it in his mouth and running his tongue over it. He was trying to crash her over the edge with the sudden change in temperature. All the while his eyes constantly watched her for her reaction. Once he spent a couple minutes on her right breast, he slowly changed to her left, and repeated the action.

Whatever Remy had been trying to do, he accomplished it with great skill. With nothing but his mouth on her breasts, suckling and teasing, Belle came with such force that she nearly doubled over. She cried out, sweat starting to form on the back of her neck...somehow, within the deep recesses of her mind, she knew what was happening. Warmth trickled down her leg and she gasped, "Remy," grasping his shoulder, she pulled him up to look into her watery blue eyes that were still blazing with lust, "Remy, it's time."

Remy went from sex mode to daddy to be mode in a record .0005 seconds. He was up and across the room pulling on his pants, with much better success this time. He grabbed a shirt and her over night bag just in case, and then returned to his lovely wife. He helped her pull her night shirt back on and slowly lifted her off the bed and to her feet. "Ok, chere. Y' ready f' dis? Can y' make it down de stairs on y' feet? Or y' wan' Remy t' carry y'?" He smiled as he pulled her close to his side and walked her toward the door. He had taken to weight lifting with Logan and Piotr for two hours every day just incase he had to carry her down to the Med Lab. He was fully prepared to do so right this minute, but he knew how important her dignity was to her, and didn't want to assume too much and get her upset. Meanwhile he sent Hank a text message saying it was time. He knew the good Doctor kept the phone on him at all times for just this event and would likely beat them to the delivery room. Remy also wondered if Hank would have Jean there to assist him with the delivery.

Suddenly the nagging backache that had been plaguing her since month seven had turned into a raging storm. An electric pulse went through her, stealing her breath and causing her to cry out again. Almost as quickly as it came, it passed, "Hurry, chere." She said, stepping from the bed. She held onto Remy painfully tight as they made their way down to where Hank was setting up for the birth. The contractions were more than five minutes apart, she knew that, but they seemed to be getting closer every second and more intense. Damn it all to hell, she wished she had opted for the epidural. Remy helped her up onto the wide bed just as another contraction hit and she screamed with the force of it. "Remy LeBeau I'm gunna rip dat penis righ' off y', y' hear?" She screeched, and then turned her attention to Hank who, apparently, found all of this quite comical. "Dat's after I finish wit' y', fuzzy!" It was a good thing Hank had told both of them what to expect beforehand...for the next minute, Belle's eyes were filled with tears and she was kissing Remy's hand, "I'm sorry, I love y', chere. I do, I just—" Once again, a contraction ripped through her and she gripped Remy's hand so tightly that she thought she heard something crack, "I 'ATE Y'!"

Remy was not thrown off at all by her words. In fact, he found them quite amusing after he had forced Logan one day during a Danger Room session to play the part of Belle. The older mutant had no qualms what so ever throwing out various insults and threats, it was when Remy had secretly programmed the computer to make Logan appear in a dress, that the older mutant had tried to make good on those threats. However, the sudden strength with which she squeezed his hand, and couldn't help but think that if she'd attacked Bruno with this kind of strength Remy would never have needed to get involved. As soon as she finished yelling at him, Remy kissed her forehead and ran a hand through her hair. "I know, chere, I know." He had tears in his eyes, but whether they were from the emotion of the moment, or the vise-like grip she had on his hand, no one knew. He was just glad she'd managed to grab his hand, and not, like Hank had told them had happened once, his penis. That would surely have hindered any dreams that Remy might have at fulfilling his dreams of five or six kids.

The labor went on for hour after hour of gut-wrenching, blindingly painful contractions. Despite the fact that Hank told her that she was doing 'great' she felt as if she was continually being hit by a train. She was sweating from every pore in her body, she was being ripped apart from the inside out and worst of all she was only nine centimeters dilated. If she had her way she would've pushed at four! Now, at nine, she felt as if pressure were building even higher inside of her. Moaning, she thrashed against her pillow, "Git dis' kid outta me!" She whined. It would only be labor and delivery that could bring the Assassin Queen to her knees. She was a weeping, sweating, hormonal mess but with a little luck, it would all be over soon.

Remy went back to whispering soothing words into her ear while stroking her forehead and running his hand through her hair. "Chere, its almos' time. Jus' a little longer, Belle. Den 'Ank will let y' push." He wanted to say something to Hank, to try and force the Doctor to help his wife, but Remy knew better. Not only did the furry man have an iron will, he was also stronger, faster, and more agile than Remy, and could have him tossed out of the room before he even finished trying to threaten the man. So Remy opted for the road that would lead to physical pain for his hand, and emotional pain for his ego with Belle's words. "J'taime, ma chere, jus' a little longer."

BellaDonna didn't want to hang on a little longer. Despite Hank being a strong, limber man, he didn't escape the bone-crushing claws that descended on him when he went to check on her IV. "Belle ain' takin' dis no more!" She screamed loud enough that it echoed off the walls. Birth was a messy, terrifying process and no one felt that as acutely as Belle. Someone was listening to her up there (well, it was hard not to) because the next she heard, Hank was lowering her all the way down onto the bed so she was lying flat. Her contractions were less than a minute apart now, they seemed to play off one another, getting stronger and stronger as the pressure built. Hank told her to push on three and despite the burning in her lungs and the pain that choked her she held her breath and pushed with all her might. Why wouldn't this baby get out of her! Cussing a blue streak, she looked over at Remy, "I'm never doin' dis' again!" With another contraction she pushed as hard as she could. Hank smiled; of course the bastard would tell her just one more push with a smile on his face. She would kill him for this later…

Remy watched with utter fascination as the good doctor started Belle on the actual process of delivering the baby. A few pushes, some more colorful language from those pretty lips, and smile from Hank, and Remy felt like he was ready to pass out. As tough as Gambit was, he was but one of millions of guys who wanted to pass out at the sight of their favorite place in the world (between their wife's legs) being stretched like that, and he wanted to hit the floor. Of course he didn't, and was rewarded moments later by the sound of a crying baby and Hanks excited exclamation of "Congratulations. Allow me to introduce you to your daughter. Remy? Would you like to cut the cord?" Remy could only muster the strength to nod, and then cut the cord where Hank had indicated.

With one more push that would make any Assassin mother proud, BellaDonna and Remy's perfect, beautiful daughter slipped into the world. All at once, the pressure seemed to subside and utter exhaustion was left in its wake. The wailing of the baby made Belle's eyes run with tears; her child was finally here, that perfect girl who had been playing football with her bladder for nine long months was finally here. Sniffling, she watched as Hank measured and weighed the crying infant until finally he placed the child in her waiting arms. Almost as soon as the tiny girl— although Belle didn't know if anyone would call the eight pound, six ounce baby girl "tiny"—was placed in her arms, the infant quieted. Mother's joy spread through her as she touched the dark hair that was matted to her little head. "Oh Remy," Belle sniffled, reaching her free hand out to him, "She's perfect."

Remy immediately snapped out of his trance and moved next to his wife and baby girl. "Oui, chere. She's perfect. Beautiful, jus' like her mother. And she's got her daddy's hair." He placed a gentle kiss onto the little girl's forehead and then kissed Belle. "Dat's her mother's nose t'ough. Remy's is too narrow." His eyes watered a little bit, and he had to blink back tears that wanted to fall at the idea of finally having a family. "Chere, what are we going t' name her? Y' still like de name we were t'inkin' of? Soleil?" He hoped Belle still loved the name; otherwise he shuddered at the idea of _more_ hours thinking up names. Besides, Jubilee was already hounding them about the baby being due and he didn't want another lecture from the young girl about the necessity of a good name, like Jubilee for example. He got the impression she was hoping they'd name the baby after her; of course he could be mistaken, but not likely.

Belle looked down at the baby girl, almost transfixed on her beautiful face. Yes, the baby was red from the delivery and her head was slightly misshapen, which Hank promised would correct itself after a day or so, but she was still the most beautiful child Belle had ever seen in her life. Running her finger lovingly over the child's tiny perfect hands she smiled, "Oui, Soleil I t'ink...dis baby is de light of my life. Of our life," she corrected, smiling up at him once more, "Our little angel." Stopping for a moment, she racked her brain that was clouded with all-encompassing love for her husband, her child, and although the brain was still slightly addled from oxygen depravation, she was still thinking, "Angelie? You t'ink dat's a good name, Soleil Angelie LeBeau?"

Remy kissed Belle furiously then. When he broke off he smiled and nodded. "Oui, Chere. Dat is perfect." He turned back to their daughter and ran his hand over her head softly. "Welcome to de worl', Soleil Angelie LeBeau. I'm y' daddy." He looked over at Belle and then sheepishly, while blushing, asked, "Can I 'old her?" He wanted to hold the little girl in his arms more than anything; more so, he had to admit, than he wanted to kiss Belle at that moment. Though given the anticipation of this moment ever since she told him she was pregnant, could anyone really blame him?

His lips on hers made her smile; maybe they could have five more of these little ones after all. As much as she was exhausted and still in pain, she felt so wonderfully loved and fulfilled that she couldn't stop the tears that were still flowing down her cheeks. "J'taime, Remy," She whispered. It almost shocked her that he had to ask if he could hold the baby, "'Course y' can, chere!" She said with as much strength as she could muster...but at the same time, her entire body felt leaden. With tender care, she lifted the baby up as high as she could, "Jus' watch 'er head." It wasn't that she didn't trust him, she loved and trusted him implicitly...but there was a new side to her, and that was the protective mother. Above all she wanted her child to have everything and to be everything. As soon as Soleil was safely in her father's arms, Belle felt her eyes close for a well needed nap before Soleil would be hungry.

Remy stared down at the little bundle of joy in his arms. He softly started to sing a little French lullaby, which the little girl seemed to enjoy as much as any newborn could. He looked over at Belle, who had quickly drifted off, he smiled and kissed Belle's forehead and then sat down in a nearby chair. Hank in the meantime asked Remy how to spell the girl's name so he could finish the birth certificate. He then smiled and waved at the little girl. "I'll go ahead and tell Jubilee that the baby was born, otherwise she'll never forgive you for not telling her, Remy." The Cajun only nodded as he rocked the girl slowly and softly in his arms, while waiting for his wife to wake up once again to feed their perfect child. This was the start of a beautiful life together for the three of them. No matter what else came their way, they'd handle it, work through it, and be all the stronger for it.

**

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Coming up, happily ever after: The Epilouge**


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

BellaDonna's voice boomed from across a long stretch of well cut green grass, "SOLEIL ANGELIE LEBEAU!" She scolded, "W'at did mama tell y' 'bout hangin' on dat fence!" Striding out the little door that was painted a light pink color that contrasted against the stark whiteness of the little house, she looked out at her daughter climbing up on the white picket fence again! Even though her feet were bare and a wide eyed baby boy rested on her hip, she left the porch and made her way over to the little girl peering at her behind those big blue eyes. "I know y' excited, Soleil, but we'll be leavin' once papa finishes packin' de car, oui?"

Soleil, now almost four, nodded; her little lip was stuck out in a pout that Belle reminded her far too much of her father's. In fact, Soleil was almost the spitting image of him; they had the same dark brown hair that never seemed to want to be tamed, and that tall thin build but she had Belle's eyes and nose. She was the perfect combination of them both, truly. "Mama, me don' wan' t' ride in de car all dat way!" She whined, "Julien will cry de whole way!"

Sighing, Belle just shook her head and pressed her hand to her rounding belly. She was almost five months along and though the doctor told her it would be okay to take a plane, Remy had insisted that they take no chances whatsoever. Remy always the overbearing father! Him and his stupid ethics that seemed to make no sense to Belle...but at least he cared. "Because of de baby we's drivin', chere. Y' better check t' make sure dat Henri de teddy is in de car. Papa leaves wit' or wit'out 'im!" With a smile, she watched as her oldest daughter dashed toward the house. Their perfect house...it was almost like a dream. It was a large ranch, two stories and enough bedrooms to accommodate most of the Thieves and Assassins. At first, Belle had though it was too big...but with the way that Remy continued to knock her up, those rooms would come in handy.

Julien Xavier LeBeau had come almost three years after Soleil; he had been a planned baby, to even out their family. Remy did so want a boy and, as luck would have it, their perfect baby had come along. This newest pregnancy though, that had come as quite a shock...Julien was not even a whole year old yet. At least she was strong and healthy, their family was solid and everything seemed perfect. Making her way over to Remy she was annoyed by the way that she was now waddling; thighs swishing together, she made her way over to him, "I sent Soleil t' make sure dat everyt'ing is packed f' her." Leaning in, she gave him a soft kiss on the lips, "J'taime Remy." Shifting Julien who's sleepy head was lolling on her shoulder, she smiled, "Do y' need any 'elp?"

Remy smiled as Belle kissed him and he finished fitting Soleil's little suitcase into the truck of their Audi. The more often they took these trips to Xavier's the happier he was that they had this car. It was a pretty big size for a car, and with them having a third baby on the way, it was perfect. He just had to remember to get a mini-van if they had any more. That thought made him swallow a lump, no macho man like Remy was ever glad about getting a mini-van. Of course, if it made Belle happy, he'd do it no mater how he felt about it. After all, she was his lovely wife and mother of his two, soon to be three, children. "Non, chere. Remy t'inks he be ok. 'Sides, y' got y'r 'ands full as it is." He smiled at the sleepy boy her arms and leaned down placing a kiss to the top of his head. "'Ow's he doin', Belle? T'ink he'll cry de 'ole way like Soleil t'inks?"

Looking down at Julien, she just shook her head, "Non, I t'ink he'll sleep a lot of de way. Unless he's a whiner like his papa," She nudged her husband gently before opening the side door and placing the sleeping child in his car seat. Soon they'd have three car seats back here, but with this car it'd be fine. It had been her intent to pick up some birth control it...just never happened. Thus, they were four year into marriage and would have three children by the end of the year. Pressing her back against the car, she pulled Remy toward her, kissing him hard on the lips, "Belle can't wait till' Xavier takes de kids an' we can get some alone time."

Remy smiled and kissed back with equal passion. "Oui, Chere. Remy countin' de minutes." He placed his hands on her hips and smiled before kissing her chastely again. "Remy t'inks dat Xavier won' get much time wit' de little ones. He'll wan' t', but Remy t'inks Jubilee and Kitty gon'na take dem 'way 'fore de Professor gets t' say hi." His smiled widened at the thought of the two girls at the Institute that were the only ones Remy could say with out a shadow of a doubt loved his kids as much as he and Belle did. "De only problem wit' dat, dey gon'na spoil Soleil like las' time." He shuddered at the memory of Soleil coming home with Jubes and Kitty and three shopping bags full of dolls and stuffed animals, and the guilty defiant looks on the two girls' faces when he asked them who all the bags were for. "We gon'na 'ave t' set some groun' rule f' dem." A mischievous glint came into his eyes. "Maybe force Logan to take Soleil and Julien t' de park."

Belle blanched, "An' have de man eat ma babies? Non," As much as Remy had told her that Logan was really a big teddy bear on the inside, she didn't like the way he looked at her and their children. The man had issues, but her children were just that - kids...and the mother in her wanted to chokehold him when he got angry about her daughter crying or giggling too loudly. She let her hand drop down to the swell in her belly as she smiled, "Oui, we ain' gunna let dose girls do dat again. But I t'ink dat de professor had summat t' do wit' dat..." she laughed, "He spoils dem too."

Remy smiled and nodded. "'Course he did, Chere. He's de closes' t'ing dey got t' a grandpa. He ain' ne'er had grandchildren o' his own, so he gon'na treat our little ones like dey was his." Remy didn't really mind so much. Xavier was a nice guy, and went out of his way to plan activities for Remy's kids, just like a good grandfather would do. And it was just last year that Soleil took to calling him Grandpa Xavier. But Remy was happy, he couldn't think of a better grandfather than the Professor. After all, he had a school that he ran and kids of all ages running around it. Who better to play the surrogate grandpa than a man with more experience working with kids than half the state of Wisconsin? Remy didn't know he picked Wisconsin for that phrase...maybe because it was a big state. He shrugged that thought off and reluctantly released Belle from his hold. "I got my suitcase t' go next, an' den I better see 'bout Soleil. She takin' an aweful lon' time in dere." He moved back to the trunk and lifted his suitcase up and into it, then swiveled it around so it fit better.

Stepping away from the car, she made her way into the house, "Soleil, we's leavin' now!" She called. The little girl came bouncing out, holding a tattered little teddy bear and smiling. Belle was suspicious but she didn't say anything; she ushered the little girl out and locked the door behind them. "Up in de car seat, Soleil," she said and smiled as the girl struggled with the seatbelt until she put it on by herself. Belle had been having trouble leaning into the car to buckle it so Soleil had taken it upon herself to learn. Running a hand through her blonde hair that was growing out after she had cut into a short bob for summer, everything seemed in order. "C'mon, let's go," She smiled, carefully hoisting herself into the seat. "We's got a long drive ahead."

Remy did one final check of everything before nodding in approval and closing the trunk. He made his way around the car and into the driver's seat. After starting he looked back at Soleil and then at Belle. "Y' bot' went t' de bat'room already, oui? Don' nee' no accidents on de nice leather seats." He glared a moment in warning at Soleil, who just smiled and nodded. He looked over at belle, to see her exasperated expression that he needed to even ask her that. With a grin he pulled out from the house and down the street toward the highway. "So, wha' msuic y' wan' t' listen t' dis time Soleil?"

Belle just laughed, "Remy, Belle's pregnant, we'll be stoppin' f' 'er anyway." Looking back, she watched her daughter bouncing in her seat. Of course she wanted her current favorite, the Barbie Rock CD that 'Oncle Questa' had sent to her; the man did not seem warm and caring but he loved spoiling the kids too. "BARBIE!" She exclaimed, laughing. Sighing, Belle sat back...okay, so they listened to the same thing every time. By the time they hit the highway, the girl would be sound asleep.

As predicted, Soleil's little head was lolling against Henri the teddy bear. BellaDonna chuckled and rubbed Remy's shoulder gently, "I'm glad we's doin' dis'...'specially wit' Soleil goin' t' kindergarten next year an' all. I wan' dem t' get as much time as dey can wit' dey're family." Yes, Belle had come to view them as her family too. They deserved to see the kids, especially because the two of them (and her, admittedly) seemed to get bigger everyday. Pictures were fine but every minute was precious for them. Plus, she needed some alone time with her husband…desperately.

Remy looked into the rearview mirror to see his little girl sound asleep, and Julien as well in the next car seat. "Dey looks so peaceful sleepin' like dat. Too bad de image is ruined when dey wake up." He was half kidding. Soleil was a bit of a hassle especially after she found out she had daddy, Grandpa X and the two cool older girls wrapped around her fingers. Luckily Belle was the level headed one who rarely gave in. He chuckled a bit and turned off the CD, then changed the station to the one Belle seemed to enjoy so much. He quickly changed lanes and got into the carpool lane so they could expedite the drive. After a few minutes he reached into the armrest, which also had a small ice chest, and pulled out a soda, which he proceeded to drink at once. He looked over at her and smiled wider. "Chere, Remy tell y' today how much he love y'?"

No matter how much time she spent around Remy or how unattractive she was bloated with his child (AGAIN), he never ceased to make her feel like the only woman in the universe. Her cheeks reddened as she smiled, "I don' t'ink so, chere." Her hand rubbed lightly over his and she let the other one rest against her belly. "But if it's 'alf as much as I love y', den it's got t' be a lot."

Remy smiled and squeezed her hand softly. He then brought that hand up to his lips and kissed the palm of her hand. "J'taime ma chere." His eyes returned to the road and drove with his left hand while holding Belle's in his right. After a few more minutes he looked over at her. "Belle, Remy love y' so much, he can' put it int' words. Y'r my 'eart, my soul, my ever't'ing." The drive was relatively uneventful, full of pit stops for the girls, especially the pregnant one. A couple hours after dinner Remy looked over at Belle. "Chere, you wan' me t' keep drivin'? Or y' t'ink we shoul stop fer de night?"

The baby was sitting right on her bladder, allowing her no comfort whatsoever so far. Even though Remy was kindly offering to take them to a hotel, Belle shook her head, "We's makin' good time an' wit' de kids asleep, I t'ink it's better to drive while we 'ave dem sleepin'." Rubbing her hand over his again, she leaned back in her seat, "If y' need me t', I cen take a turn behind de wheel." The doctor hadn't recommended she drive after her seventh month, but she certainly could drive now. She just wanted to get to the mansion and sleep on a comfortable bed next to her husband without children sandwiched between them.

Remy smiled and shook his head. "Non, Chere. Y' know how I am. Y' aint gon'na drive dat car while y' still knocked up. Y' can wait 'till after de baby comes." He stroked her cheek softly and continued to drive. This was the reason he'd packed a few sodas and energy drinks, in case he had to pull a late night drive. After a couple more hours, and another stop for Belle's poor bladder, Remy finally brought the car up to the gate and pinned in his entrance code. "Belle, we here. Come on, Chere. Nap time's o'er, time to go int' de Mansion."

She'd only been asleep for a few minutes at most, or so it felt. When she looked at the clock again she realized that it was already the next day, well past five in the morning. Yawning, she smiled over at him, her hair slightly mussed from the ride, "I'm glad we's here, chere. All I wan' t' do is get up t' dat bed an' not leave it f' de rest of de week." They could probably do it too, except for Soleil and Julien would want to see them at least a few hours each day. For now, though, Belle carefully carried Julien upstairs and placed him in the crib that had been set up. Remy wasn't too far behind carrying Soleil and as soon as they had finished unpacking (well...as much unpacking as Remy would let Belle do), Belle closed the door behind them and fell back on the bed, sighing raggedly. Both kids were old enough to have a separate room, even if they were right across the hall from one another. Resting a hand on her womb, she smiled sleepily at him, "J'taime, Remy."

Remy fell into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her. With the shades drawn closed, they snuggled under the blankets for a long sleep. Belle kissed him chastely on the lips before succumbing to the drugging tiredness she felt. It wasn't soon after that Remy joined her, dreaming once again of happiness and love abounding.

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Remy slowly opened his eyes as light came in through the windows directly onto his eyes. No sooner had he opened his eyes than he felt fullness in his bladder that screamed for him to go to the bathroom. He looked over at Belle's pretty sleeping face and kissed her gently on the forehead before quietly and carefully extracting himself from the bed. He softly padded across the room and into the bathroom where he closed that door and relieved himself. A soft moan escaped his lips as he emptied his bladder, to great satisfaction. "Oh, Remy been waitin' f' dat all night."

Belle had slept soundly with minimal interruption. One time she'd had the baby roll over on her bladder and she was up again; the second time she'd nearly jumped out of her skin when Soleil came in and shook her until she agreed to let Kitty and Jubilee take the kids to lunch and the park. She felt Remy kiss her and get up; slowly she turned over as he stepped out of the door looking relieved. Smiling, she sat up, her nightgown bunched around her thighs, "I been waitin' f' some alone time wit' my husban'." She said silkily, sitting up on her knees so he could see just about everything through her thin white nightgown. She meant to make this time special...it was getting to be a rare occasion after all.

Remy smiled at her as he crossed his arms over his bare chest and leaned to the side against the doorframe. He let his eyes travel over her body very slowly, taking in all the curves that he could see through her sleepwear. She was gorgeous, even more so when she was pregnant with his baby. He slowly walked forward and stood right in front of her looking down at her from where he was. "Really, Chere? Remy been waitin' fer some alone time wit' y' too." His right hand reached down and cupped the side of her face before he leaned in for a warm kiss. When he pulled back his eyes were alight with mischief. "And wha', Belle, did y' 'ave planned fer when y' got me alone?"

It was a little awkward being pregnant and all but she managed to lean forward, pulling her body toward hers. "De better question is, w'at don' I 'ave planned f' y', chere." Achingly slow, she brought her lips to kiss his; wrapping her arms around him, she held him as tight as her belly would allow. She wanted him, all of him just the way he was. God really had listened to her prayers, she had everything she'd ever wanted...and she was going to give Remy everything he wanted tonight too. Slowly, she began to play with the waistband of his pajama pants. It was her intention to have him mindless with passion, to be completely under her control.

Remy grinned playfully into the kiss as he felt her hands on his waist band. Her nimble fingers running along the elastic sent a shiver up his spine. He was already standing at attention, and that had nothing to do with his feet being on the ground. The things she did to him. His left hand wrapped around her waist, as much as it could, while his right moved up to cup the back of her head and deepen the kiss a little. He wanted her right now, right here, and he didn't care how they went about getting to where he was inside her. Hell if she asked him to bark like a dog, he'd probably do it, as long as it meant he'd get between her legs faster.

Slowly she removed the pants, careful to run her fingernails ever so gently against his legs. He wanted her (that much was evident), just as much as she wanted him. Already heat was pooling inside of her as he held her and kissed her. She pulled away just long enough to draw the nightgown over her body to reveal that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Pressing closer to him, she let her body rub over his; god, it felt like bliss to feel his skin on her again. Even when Remy and Belle did have sex at home, they always had to put their pajamas right back on for fear of the kids coming in, mostly Soleil. But now they were alone for a good long while...Belle was going to be taking advantage of that.

Remy smiled saucily at Belle as he saw her hidden prize, nothing to get in his way. Before she could protest that she wanted to make him squirm for her, he quickly moved forward and latched his mouth to one of her nipples. His one hand quickly played with the breast not receiving attention form from his mouth, while the other hand started to move slowly over her belly and farther down south. He was going to make sure she screamed his name before he let her do anything to him in those regards. After all, she was his wife, and it's was a husband's job to make sure his wife was satisfied...in more ways than one.

That Remy LeBeau always was a cheater. He trumped her quickly when his warm mouth came to suckle her taut nipple and his hand ran over the place where their child was budding within her; she didn't stand a chance. Moaning his name, she dug her nails into his back hard enough to give him that rush of pleasure that came with a little bit of pain. Lying back against the bed, she let her hands run over his chest and down over his hips as she kissed him. It wouldn't be too much longer now; he wasn't even inside of her and she was already tightening with pleasure. Another upside to pregnancy, the sex was out of this world...another thing Belle was going to take full advantage of.

Remy followed her back onto the bed and groaned as her nails dug into his flesh. She knew how to add just enough to make him crazy without making it unbearably painful. Where did she learn that? It certainly wasn't form him, maybe she'd been secretly watching naughty films to learn new tricks...or had that Kama...Karma...that love making book. Remy quickly switched sides and began to suckle on the nipple he'd been playing with his hand. His hands as well switched and soon the one that had been on her breast was traveling south once more. After a brief pause over where his child lay inside her, it moved farther down and found its goal in the wet silken folds between her legs. His teeth very softly bite down on her nipple and he pulled it taut for a moment while his finger worked their magic, showing her why he was the best thief in New Orleans and New York.

Belle gasped as she felt his warm fingers slide inside of her; the shock sent her hurtling over the edge. Grasping his shoulders, she held to him tightly. A strangled cry rumbled from her chest, indicating that she loved ever ministration. In turn, her hands were rubbing over his body, his back, his chest and finally between his legs. If he meant to steal away every shred of her sanity, she could play that game too...she was an Assassin, and was excellent with her hands. Stroking him, she pressed feather-light kisses down his upper body and his face. The pressure building between her legs was reaching emergency status...she just hoped Remy finished her soon. She wanted him inside of her when she came.

Remy smiled as he heard the strangled cry coming form her lips. Damn, he sure loved hearing her in the throws of passion. He worked his fingers around inside her, especially over the tiny bundle of nerves that made her break every time. His tongue made matching motions on her nipple, and he only pulled long enough to enjoy the look on her face. "Y' so beautiful, Belle. I wan' t' 'ear y' say my name, chere." His mouth quickly returned to her nipple, but he kept his eyes locked on her face, he wanted to see and hear the moment she was sent over the edge.

It didn't take long, the exquisite feeling of his fingers inside of her and his tongue across her sensitized breasts, she was his in seconds. Crying his name, she broke into a million pieces, clinging onto him for dear life. She wanted him, she wanted this from him, "I need y' inside me, now, chere," her voice was hoarse from passion. Kissing him again, she carefully positioned herself so that he could lean more on the bed than on her. The doctor had told them to be careful not to lean too heavily on the baby and that after the sixth month or so, to have Belle on top to alleviate any pressure on the baby. But for now, she wanted his weight over her. "Please Remy," she begged. And she wasn't going to ask again.

Remy grinned as Belle went over the edge. He felt her muscles clamp onto his fingers and heard his name on her sweet lips. God he loved this woman. After she was finished, he obeyed her need for him and positioned himself at her entrance, while remaining upright on his knees so that he wouldn't hurt the baby. He rubbed the head of the little thief against her to tease her, until she voiced her begging. He leaned over her a bit and propped himself on his hands, so she could feel the weight of him a little. "J'taime, Chere." With a quick thrust he was inside her to the hilt. After kissing her lips, he started to move, setting a steady pace. "J'taime."

Passion built steadily within her until Belle broke just as Remy burst inside of her. Nothing could ruin this moment; they were together, merged forever as friends, lovers, spouses, parents. Together they were an inseparable duo, nothing could ever break these two apart again. Wrapping her arms around him, she whispered, "J'taime."

Love swirled around them, overtaking them and encompassing them. Truly, Remy and Belle's dreams were coming true every day. Every day that Belle's abdomen swelled with his seed, every birthday Soleil celebrated, every smile Julien gave…they were all a part of that journey toward their dreams. They had two kids, one on the way, the house in the country complete with fence and, for Soleil's fourth birthday, would be getting a dog. Thinking back, the road had been long and the weather fierce at times, but BellaDonna and Remy had finally made it the long way home.

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**Well folks, it's been a ride! Thank you so much to our reviewers, especially to BJ, ReadySteadyGo! You've been with us since the beginning; I hope we did everything you hoped.**

**Now, did you like the fic? Hated it? Questions? Give us a final review, a critique if you will.**

**Also, check out the newest SolidBlack fic coming up later this month! If you like Harry Potter, you're going to die over this one. Entitled Power of Love, it's the story of two characters you'd never have expected.**

**Thanks for your time, and for reading!**

**Hugs and Kisses**

**James and Marina**


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